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In The Lion and the Unicorn, Richard Aldous states that Benjamin Disraeli's political career almost came to an end in 1846.

After a heated debate on the Corn Laws where Dizzy basically spent three hours telling the house what a disgrace his own party leader (Robert Peel) was, Peel responded by referring to a letter Disraeli had written to him in 1841, begging Peel to be included in his cabinet. Disraeli stood back up and shouted that no such thing had ever happened (it had). Peel had the chance to read the letter out - which would have effectively ended Disraeli's career immediately - but choose not to.

What would the effects have been if Disraeli had been forced out of parliament?

  • Would Disraeli's exit have left the Tory protectionist wing helpless, or would Bentinck and Stanley have been able to keep up the resistance?
  • If Peel can hold it together, this means no 'new' conservative party, no Whig administration in 1846 along with a host of other changes.
  • If the split still happens, who becomes the leader of the Conservatives after Bentinck's heart attack in 1848?
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