Andy Coulson, David Cameron's former head of communications, has written an article for the October edition of GQ (out this week) in which he gives some advice on how the Tories might counter UKIP. In summary...

Coulson concludes by recommending that the party abandons any pretence that it can ignore the threat posed by UKIP. He calls for an energetic focus on its weaknesses:

"UKIP must be taken seriously so as to expose just how empty-headed it really is. Every utterance must be recorded and analysed, every speech given proper attention by some of the bigger, more ambitious young brains in CCHQ, every tweet matched where appropriate by a sensible question applying targeted pressure to UKIP policy. CCHQ should be concerned about the make-up of UKIP’s party membership and, of course, look for evidence of extreme views in their candidates and members. But to brand the entire party as racist or bonkers will always be self-defeating."

Tory strategists will undoubtedly study Coulson's recommendations carefully and I haven't seen a better plan from any other senior Tory. In today's Times (£), however, I note that even the best tactics aren't going to address what is, in reality, a global phenomenon - a splintering of the Right (paralleling the split between progressive and blue collar voters on the Left):

"Last week’s Syria vote was only one expression of simmering discontent with establishment conservatism. A large section of activists and voters on the right hate any idea of foreign intervention. They oppose foreign aid. They don’t want to leave Europe because they want to be a global player but to pull up the drawbridge... UKIP, like the Tea Party in America and other anti-globalisation movements, will be hard to eliminate. Four-party politics is probably here to stay. The Coulson recipe may be the best short-term management tactic available to Mr Cameron but the genie is out of the bottle. What UKIP represents is unlikely to go away."

Read the full piece here.