There are already a lot of people throwing their hat into the ring for the leadership of the Conservative Party, and all of them have a number of qualities.
However, the main quality required in the new leader - given the Party's vulnerable position following its general election drubbing - will be to be able to keep the whole of the Conservative Parliamentary Party together.
Pick someone too divisive on the left, and further defections to Reform would be possible; pick someone too divisive on the right, and defections to the Liberal Democrats may happen - both of which would be hugely damaging for the future of the Party.
The Conservative Party is a broad church - it always has been, even in the days of Margaret Thatcher. That is a strength not a weakness in a First Past The Post system and it didn't stop Margaret Thatcher from giving bold leadership to the country.
Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, has written an exclusive op-ed for GB News members GB NEWSConservative values - strong defence, tough on crime, robust border control, individual freedom and responsibility, sound money, aspiration, low taxes and a belief that individuals make better decisions for themselves, their families and their local communities than the state makes for them - are timeless.
Over the last five years, too many decisions were made which took us away from those core values with devastating consequences, and we need to ensure that we get back to them in everything we do. That is the path to electoral success for the Conservative Party.
It is also vital that the whole Parliamentary Party gets behind whoever is elected as the new leader.
One name that has barely been mentioned for the leadership is Kevin Hollinrake - the MP for Thirsk and Malton - but he certainly ticks a huge number of the boxes which are essential as the Conservative Party regroups.
Kevin is somebody who would be acceptable to all parts of the Conservative Party. He has also been loyal to all of the Party leaders we have had - which will make it much easier for him to command the loyalty of others.
Kevin is the embodiment of those timeless Conservative values. His dad was a milkman and his mum a social worker - and Kevin built up his own successful estate agency business, starting with one office which he sold almost 30 years later for tens of millions of pounds.
Kevin therefore understands through his own personal experience that small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy, and has spent his time in Parliament standing up for them.
As Chairman of the All-Party Group for Fair Business Banking, he campaigned on behalf of SMEs which had been screwed over by the big banks - leading to huge compensation being paid.
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Kevin is best known for his campaign on behalf of postmasters who were wrongly convicted due to the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Kevin was their champion on the backbenches, and then as a Minister, he was the one who finally ensured their convictions were overturned and justice was done. In doing so he demonstrated a huge amount of integrity - something acknowledged by people of all political persuasions.
The contrast between Kevin Hollinrake and Sir Ed Davey - the hapless former Post Office Minister who now leads the Lib Dems - couldn't be more stark, and Kevin would make Sir Ed uncomfortable every time they were debating.
The Conservative Party is two or three bad decisions away from near extinction, and two or three good decisions away from being right back in the mix at the next General Election.
In this period of stabilisation and renewal, it is vital that the Party has a wide choice of candidates to pick from, and Kevin Hollinrake is someone I hope will also enter the contest. The Party could certainly do a lot worse.
