“Jeremy Hunt isn’t any Michael Portillo, for higher or worse,” he mentioned.
Sir Keir Starmer hopes to win a majority much like the Labour landslide in 1997. Nonetheless, he’ll want one or two Portillo moments on election evening to realize that.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has a majority of 8,817 in South West Surrey
PA Wire
Mr Portillo was elected MP for Enfield Southgate in 1984 and have become a key participant below Tory former prime ministers Baroness Margaret Thatcher and Sir John Main.
In 1997, he had a snug majority for his constituency and was defence secretary — tipped even to switch Sir John as celebration chief.
Nonetheless, on Might 1 all of it fell aside amid a tide of Labour insurgency. He returned as an MP in 1999, efficiently standing in Chelsea, and was shadow chancellor below William Hague.
Since leaving Parliament in 2005, Mr Portillo has turn out to be higher often known as a broadcaster. He has introduced political programmes for GB Information and rail documentaries for the BBC.
What was the ‘Portillo second’?
Whereas Labour had led the polls earlier than the 1997 election, Mr Portillo had a snug majority of 15,563.
Against this, his rival for the Enfield Southgate was 30-year-old Stephen Twigg, who was not well-known. However the younger contender pulled off a shock, profitable 20,570 votes towards Portillo’s 19,137.
The Enfield Southgate end result was known as round 3am on election evening and, with outcomes already going Labour’s manner, this was thought-about a rubber-stamping of their win.
Mr Portillo was among the many highest-profile Tories to lose their seats on the historic evening. The lateness of the decision prompted the query “Had been you continue to up for Portillo?”
Since then, a ‘Portillo second’ has turn out to be a metaphor for a number one MP dropping their seat amid a foul election evening for his or her celebration.
Labour’s Ed Balls suffered a ‘Portillo second’ when he misplaced his Morley seat in 2015
Getty Photos
What different ‘Portillo moments’ have there been?
Nick Clegg had clung on to Sheffield Hallam in 2015 — however the former Lib Dem chief misplaced the college campus seat to Labour’s Jared O’Mara two years later. Labour’s Olivia Burke now holds the seat.
Who might be prone to a ‘Portillo second’ in 2024?
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk is defending a tiny majority of 981 in Cheltenham, making it a key goal for the Lib Dems.
Defence Minister Grant Shapps has a ten,995 majority in Welwyn Backyard Metropolis, however the dimension of the swing away from the Tories means he’s additionally weak.
Labour got here second within the seat on the 2019 basic election, profitable 31.6 per cent of the vote.
The previous Tory chief Sir Iain Duncan Smith is defending a majority of simply 1,262 in Chingford and Woodford Inexperienced.Sir Iain has held the seat since 1992 however faces a troublesome combat to carry on to it this 12 months amid stern Labour competitors.
Dr Faiza Shaheen, a tutorial and economist in financial inequality, will stand for the celebration this 12 months.
Penny Mordaunt is tipped as a future Tory chief however should first cling on to her 15,780 majority in Portsmouth North.
Labour, which got here second in 2019, has chosen the previous instructor Amanda Martin as its candidate.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has one of many most secure seats within the nation with Richmond (Yorkshire) held by the Conservatives since 1906. He has a 27,210 majority.
Supply hyperlink
