After Powell made his infamous "Rivers of Blood" speech, Heath sacked him from the shadow cabinet. What-if Powell had decided to then challenge Heath for the Conservative leadership?
It would without question have been the most brutal party leadership election in UK history. In my view, Powell would have lost. But the contest would have done enough damage to the party to guarantee a 1970 general election defeat. Powell could have then said "I told you so" and probably would have been elected leader.