Michael Portillo has done a searingly honest Q&A feature for The Guardian HERE. It provokes rather more questions than in answers though. Here are some highlights...What is your greatest fear?
Old age.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Self-satisfaction.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Mistaking Thabo Mbeki for Kofi Annan.
What would your super power be?
What would your super power be?
Being able to bypass airport security.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Being too fat.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Brad Pitt.
What is the worst thing anyone's said to you?
What is the worst thing anyone's said to you?
The truth.
Is it better to give or to receive?
Is it better to give or to receive?
To give (seriously).
Have you ever said 'I love you' and not meant it?
Have you ever said 'I love you' and not meant it?
Yes.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Schadenfreude.
To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
She knows who she is and why.
Which living person do you most despise, and why?
Which living person do you most despise, and why?
She knows who she is and why.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
The SAS speech I made in 1995.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Saving the Settle-Carlisle railway.
Tell us a joke.
Tell us a joke.
I'm a man with a great political future behind me.
Discuss.
15 comments:
Poor old Portia, probably the most interesting thing he could do to influence the future course of politics is to come clean about his sexuality. Otherwise its always going to be sly comments about his "lugubrious lips".
To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
She knows who she is and why.
Which living person do you most despise, and why?
She knows who she is and why.
That's no way to talk about Diane Abbott
Iain, how about declaring a moratorium on UK politics for a while and focussing on the US primaries? Since you have admitted that directly or indirectly you derive your income from this blog these days this isn't this what we are "paying" you for?
There will be a mix. If I just did posts about US politics I know I would get a lot of complaints. But the next post will be to your liking!
Fraiche^Wilde - "Poor old Portia, probably the most interesting thing he could do to influence the future course of politics is to come clean about his sexuality."
Are you insane? He's going to influence the future course of politics by talking about his personal life? Is the future course of politics in Britain, or world politics? Is that all it takes to influence the future course of politics? Gosh.
I was being heavily ironic Verity -I have no interest in hearing about any aspects of La Portillo's private life.
Iain, you are our mole on the ground - want lots of DC goss. Gimme gimme gimme!
I'd prefer a lot less American content(especially, less Verity)! But, there you go.
Geezer - I'm not American. But there you go!
I think you will find dear friends that the woman in question is none other than Ms T!
Think back to the old days, its 1990/91 and traitor Clarke and portillo and Heseltine were smearing Lady T at every turn?
Howe made his killer speech and poor old Maggie was all but washed up.
Now cast your mind back to how Mrs T was trying to hold back the EU monster at the front whilst its paid off Tory hitmen stabbed her in the back!
Remember now? Portillo is one of those 'guilty men' and I for one will never forgive him his treason.
So a few bloated commisars saw that they might lose the GE, they saw their gravytrain threatened and did what all self interested power seekers do, they conspired to topple the greatest leader the Tories have ever had.
IHMO Mrs T would have walked that GE and won hands down against that KGB plant!
I and many like me will never forget the spiteful betrayal and we will nver forgive.
Remember Maggies tears? they were mine also.
Cassandra.... well said.
Iain, how about declaring a moratorium on UK politics for a while and focussing on the US primaries?
Please, no! It's bad enough with the BBC news website being obsessed with these dull and tedious American shenanigans than to have my favourite blog be polluted as well. :)
Miceal Portilo saved the
SnC Please explain?
Cassandra is completely wide of the mark that Portillo was part of the conspiracy against Mrs T in 1990. Exactly the opposite. It was he, Neil Hamilton and a third junior Minister I cannot now recall, who went to No 10 the night before she resigned (after her famous interviews with each member of her Cabinet) to try to speak to her to persuade her to fight on. They were turned away as she had probably already decided with Denis that she would resign.
Also, the poster who says Portillo should reveal his sexuality hasn't got much of a point either. He has acknowledged that he had same sex experiences and he is clearly attracted to women (as viewers not only of his flirting with Diane Abbott, but also readers of the News of the World two or three years ago would realise). You join the dots and think of the term, but my guess is that of the two he prefers women. In fact that News of the World article, in which it was alleged that he met up an old (female) flame in Northern Ireland when visiting there to make a speech, and on which he did not sue, is probably the clue to the answers on the women. One is probably his wife and the other whoever sold their story to NoW.
Now, that's enough silly speculation about the private life of a former politician, albeit a fascinating one with more charisma tham that of most average cabinets put together, isn't it?
Best leader the Tory Party never had..
Sniff, sniff..
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