As we know, IOTL, Chamberlain was enlisted by Gladstone in the drafting of Home Rule Bill and supported GOM in the failed passage of the First Home Rule Act.
After Gladstone retired, he succeeded him as party leader and went on to become one of Britain's greatest PMs, before retiring in 1909 and succeeded by David Lloyd George.
However, he was actually a Unionist and an Imperialist and only converted to Home Rule just before the introduction of the Bill in the Parliament.
What if Gladstone decided to carry on the drafting of the Bill alone and in secret?
Would Chamberlain remain with the Liberals or would he follow the Whigs and defect to the Liberal Unionists? Could the man ever become PM if he defected?
Would Lloyd George still become PM in 1906 or be marginalized by the right-leaning faction led by Asquith and Grey, which should be more powerful without a Chamberlain party leadership?