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For the second time in a few short years, Boris determines the future of the Conservative Party. 

When he first got into the Commons, he walked straight into a leadership election. William Hague had resigned and people thought that MPs would vote Ken Clarke and Michael Portilo into the final two, to take their leadership campaigns to the country.

But Portillo's canvassing of Boris left much to be desired. He gave him prescient but insulting advice: "You have to decide whether you're a comedian or a politicians." 

Portillo failed to get into the last two by one vote. I'm assuming Boris' vote was the crucial missing one. Someone called Iain Duncan Smith went into the play-off instead and beat Ken Clarke (and set the Tory back five years in the process). 

Here's the political strategy of New Labour: Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. 

That's it. 

To triangulate you take your core vote for granted and make a pitch to your opponent's marginal vote. For Labour that means a Tory-type leader and a Labour-type Chancellor.