MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENTS: Unity is the only way to keep Sir Keir Starmer grinning from No10

These are strange times. Has there ever been a political party in human history that began to regret losing its leader before he was actually gone?

Watching Boris Johnson‘s stormy farewell appearance at the Prime Minister’s questions, or examining his political record – brimming with decisions and achievements – Tory MPs must increasingly ask themselves what they have done. They should also ask themselves why they did it.

It’s perhaps a shame they didn’t think more about this before carelessly stomping on a leadership contest that must now keep the country busy for weeks. But who now remembers its detailed cause, or can explain the real problems?

Meanwhile, enemies of Johnson’s patriotic, decisive, optimistic, and libertarian style of government are elated and overjoyed. They hated his shrewdness, his brio and his confidence, and they hated the way their clumsy, ill-argued attacks simply bounced off him to no effect. Now that his own party has done what they could not do and expelled him, they are crowing and mocking. And yet they are still so afraid of him that they are trying to expel him from parliament altogether.

The House of Commons Privileges Committee could now force the prime minister into a by-election, thanks to a slippery rule change that would penalize him for inadvertently misleading MPs. Let’s hope no such vengeful action is taken – though it’s tempting to wonder how his constituency’s voters would react to such a move, which smells strongly of a kangaroo court. Perhaps his enemies are afraid that he may somehow return to frustrate and defeat them in the future, and they will do everything they can to prevent that.

Many Tories are currently hoping for some sort of campaign to get him on the ballot for leadership. Unfortunately, this is a dream, not a practical option.

Party members preparing to vote should instead choose a successor who can quickly mend the wounds inflicted by Mr Johnson’s removal, and form a firmly united front against the grinning ranks of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labor Party. and its ever closer Liberal Democrat allies.

Tory MPs, some of whom may have been foolishly persuaded to support plots against their leader, must understand that their only hope of survival in government lies in resolute unity and the end of such a conspiracy.

As the campaign unfolds, The Mail on Sunday will be keeping a close eye on which of the final two candidates shows the clearest understanding of the issues ahead and the best way to tackle them.

But we will also be interested in broader and deeper political factors. Economic competence and experience are of course important, along with an understanding of what held together the campaign that destroyed the Red Wall and gave the Conservatives their largest majority since the days of Margaret Thatcher.

But we also value loyalty, unity and discipline, the not-so-secret weapons that are the key to all political success. Conspiracy and backstabbing should not be encouraged or rewarded.

Sir Keir may be dull and uninspired, but the Tories infighting has given him a boost that he could never have earned through his own actions. It may not be possible to keep Mr Johnson as prime minister, or to undo the damage done in recent weeks. But there is still a chance to rebuild the strength of the Tory and be determined in time to keep Sir Keir and his party out of government in the next election.