Should conservative parties pursue liberal-minded centrist support or compete against far-Right populists for working-class voters?
Such votes as there are to the Conservatives’ right at the next election will coalesce around the Perennial Pretender, under whatever standard, or not at all.
From the short-lived National Party to the astonishing success of the Empire Free Trade Crusade, the 20th Century saw plenty of attempted revolts on the right.
Warmed-over Thatcherism and self-serving, Lib Dem-flavoured constitutional reform talk is no foundation for a breakthrough.
If we don’t avoid the bear traps, we will face another attack from a new ‘son of UKIP’ force that could unwittingly hand power to a Labour-led coalition.
Faragist liberatarians wouldn’t have the right message to seize the moment – but Dominic Cummings is a different story.
The Environment Secretary, in charge of the seven-year transition from the Common Agricultural Policy, prefers to do good by stealth.
The UKIP leader spotted the opportunity to attack the pious Establishment from a reactionary rather than a progressive direction.
While UKIP and Reform UK no longer present a credible threat to the Tories, the Lib Dems and Greens are building momentum.
He will not have wanted to be put in the position of sparking a chain reaction of events that ended in the defenstration of a Prime Minister.
But beware, Prime Minister: there is no divine right of parties any more than there was a divine right of kings.
This is a story of institutions, work and habits changing out of recognition – and how we can improve our position and the country once we’re heard.
His best hope of success in British politics is to boost his chances in elections by dividing the Conservatives and plundering their vote.
That was the norm of the past ten years, in the form of Farage’s parties. There’s no reason to assume that a new challenger won’t emerge.
Netanyahu’s new government is relied upon a motley crew of extremists. Britain must avoid a similar fate under proportional representation.