tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212152.post-2357656243234709592008-05-09T13:40:00.000+01:002008-05-09T13:40:00.000+01:00So as leader from 1995 or 1997 Portillo would have limited the electoral damage to the Tory Party ? Paul Linford, what are you on ? Whatever it is, can I have some as it plainly lifts one out of horrid grim realities.<BR/>Let's not forget that in 1997 Portillo suffered one of the highest anti-Tory swings in a normally rock-solid seat. Thousands of voters even switched to the ridiculous twerp Stephen Twigg just to get rid of Portillo. He was loathed personally much more than the hapless Major. BTW that 1997 result shows the superiority of the constituency system over the list system. With PR Portillo would probably have remained an MP and we'd have been deprived of that delicious "Were you up for Portillo?" moment.<BR/><BR/>His chameleon-like political career shows an absence of core principles. It's all "me, me, me". Perhaps that's why Guido approves.Nicholasnoreply@blogger.com