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Portillo Moment
The Portillo moment was the declaration of the result for the Enfield Southgate constituency in the 1997 United Kingdom general election, at 3:01 a.m. on 2 May 1997. The Labour Party (UK), Labour Party candidate, Stephen Twigg, defeated the sitting MP, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative cabinet minister Michael Portillo. The result was perceived as a pivotal indication that the Conservatives would be voted out of office after 18 years and that Labour would win the election by a substantial majority. The late-night declaration of the result became the subject of the question "Were you still up for Portillo?", asking whether a person had remained awake until after 3am to see or hear the key general-election results. "Portillo moment" has become a metaphor for an indication of a sudden and significant change in political fortunes, particularly the unseating of a leading MP (especially a cabinet minister) at a general election. Background Michael Portillo was first elected to ...
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Michael Portillo By Regents College Cropped
Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect), English 13th-century Bishop of Hereford elect * Michael (Khoroshy) (1885–1977), cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada * Michael Donnellan (fashion designer), Michael Donnellan (1915–1985), Irish-born London fashion designer, often referred to simply as "Michael" * Michael (footballer, born 1982), Brazilian footballer * Michael (footballer, born 1983), Brazilian footballer * Michael (footballer, born 1993), Brazilian footballer * Michael (footballer, born February 1996), Brazilian footballer * Michael (footballer, born March 1996), Brazilian footballer * Michael (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballe ...
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The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly''. In December 2024, Tortoise Media acquired the paper from the Scott Trust Limited, with the transition taking place on 22 April 2025. History Origins The first issue was published on 4 December 1791 by W.S. Bourne, making ''The Observer'' the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. Believing that the paper would be a means of wealth, Bourne instead soon found himself facing debts of nearly £1,600. Though early editions purported editorial independence, Bourne attempted to cut his losses and sell the title to the government. When this failed, Bourne's brother (a wealthy businessman) made an offer to the government, which also refused to buy the paper but agreed to subsidise it in return for influence over its editori ...
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Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth Of Drumlean
Michael Bruce Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean, (born 16 October 1954) is a British financier and Conservative politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stirling from 1983 to 1997 and served in the cabinet of John Major as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1995 to 1997. He is Chairman of Secure Trust Bank, and a Director of J&J Denholm and of Denholm Logistics Ltd. He was a director and Chairman of Hyperion Insurance Group until its merger with RKH Group in 2015. A former Deputy Chairman of JPMorgan UK and Evercore Partners International, he was knighted in 1997 and appointed to the House of Lords in 1999. He is a member of the Privy Council and served on the Development Boards of the Royal Society and the National Portrait Gallery. He is also a past president of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. He was appointed for a second term to the House of Lords' Economic Affairs Committee in 2015, and as its chairman following the e ...
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Secretary Of State For Scotland
The secretary of state for Scotland (; ), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Scotland Office. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The Secretary of State for Scotland serves as the custodian of the Scottish devolution settlement as outlined in the Scotland Act 1998, and represent Scottish interests within the UK Government as well as advocate for UK Government policies in Scotland. The secretary of state for Scotland is additionally responsible for partnership between the UK Government and the Scottish Government, as well as relations between the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the Scottish Parliament. Much of the secretary of state for Scotland's responsibility transferred to the office of the First Minister of Scotland, first minister of Scotland upon the establishment of a new Scottish Executive, since ren ...
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William Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave Of North Hill
William Arthur Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill (; born 15 August 1946) is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician who served as a Cabinet of the United Kingdom, Cabinet minister from 1990 until 1997, and is a life member of the Tory Reform Group. Since 1999, he has been a life peer in the House of Lords. Lord Waldegrave was List of Provosts of Eton College, Provost of Eton College from 2009 to 2024. Additionally, he was Chancellor (education), Chancellor of the University of Reading from 2016 to 2022. Waldegrave's 2015 memoir, ''A Different Kind of Weather'', discusses his high youthful political ambition, his political and to some extent personal life, and growing acceptance that he would not achieve his ultimate ambition. It also provides an account of the Heath, Thatcher and—to a lesser extent—Major governments, including his role in the development of the Poll tax (Great Britain), Poll Tax or community charge. It includes a chapter ent ...
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Chief Secretary To The Treasury
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is a senior ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom and is the second most senior ministerial office in HM Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The office holder is always a full member or attendee of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office was created in 1961 to share the burden of representing HM Treasury with the chancellor. The minister is shadowed by the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury who sits on the Official Opposition frontbench. History and responsibilities Between 1961 and 2015, the holder of the office of Chief Secretary to the Treasury was of full cabinet rank. This formally made HM Treasury the only Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department to have more than one ministerial position of cabinet rank. The office holder is responsible for public expenditure, including spending reviews. List of chief secretaries to the treasury See also * Secretary to the Treasury ...
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Ian Lang
Ian Bruce Lang, Baron Lang of Monkton, Privy Council (United Kingdom), PC Deputy Lieutenant, DL (born 27 June 1940) is a British Scottish Conservative Party, Conservative Party politician and Life Peer who served as the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament for Galloway (UK Parliament constituency), Galloway, and then Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (UK Parliament constituency), Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, from 1979 to 1997. On 29 September 1997 Lang was raised to the peerage. He was an active member of the House of Lords until his retirement on 30 June 2022, including being the Constitution Committee, Chairman of the Constitution Committee. He also served as Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments from 2009 to 2014. Early life Lang was educated at Lathallan School, at Rugby School from 1954 to 1958, and at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, from 1959 to 1962, where he obtained a BA (Hons.) degree in history. He was also a member of the Cambr ...
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Trade Secretary
The secretary of state for business and trade (business secretary), is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Department for Business and Trade. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The incumbent business secretary is Jonathan Reynolds who was appointed by Keir Starmer on 5 July 2024. The Secretary of State is shadowed by the Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade, currently Andrew Griffith since 2024. Responsibilities Corresponding to what is generally known as a commerce minister in many other countries, the business secretary's remit includes: * Relations with domestic and international business * Policy relating to deregulation * Policy relating to international trade and trade agreements * Import and export policy History During the government of Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the then president of the Board of Trade, Edward Heath, was given in addition the job of secretary of state for ...
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Malcolm Rifkind
Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind (born 21 June 1946) is a British politician who served in the cabinets of Margaret Thatcher and John Major from 1986 to 1997, and most recently as chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament from 2010 to 2015. He is also known for his advocacy of a pro-European stance within his party's policies. Rifkind was the MP for Edinburgh Pentlands (UK Parliament constituency), Edinburgh Pentlands from February 1974 United Kingdom general election, 1974 to 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997. He served in various roles as a Cabinet of the United Kingdom, Cabinet minister, including Secretary of State for Scotland from 1986 to 1990, Secretary of State for Defence, Defence Secretary from 1992 to 1995, and Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom), Foreign Secretary from 1995 to 1997. In 1997, his party lost power and he lost his seat to the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party. He attempted, unsuccessfully, to be re-elected in Pentlands in 2001 Unit ...
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Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom)
The secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs, also known as the foreign secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The role is seen as one of the most senior ministers in the UK Government and is a Great Office of State. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom and National Security Council, and reports directly to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister. The officeholder works alongside the other Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office#Ministers, Foreign Office ministers. The corresponding shadow minister is the Shadow Foreign Secretary. The Foreign Affairs Select Committee also evaluates the secretary of state's performance. The current foreign secretary is David Lammy. He was appointed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 5 July 20 ...
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Enfield Southgate In The 1997 General Election
The constituency of Enfield Southgate returned a memorable result in the 1997 United Kingdom general election, when the seat's incumbent Member of Parliament, the Conservatives' Michael Portillo, lost to Labour's Stephen Twigg. The result came as a shock to many politicians and commentators, and came to symbolise the extent of the Labour landslide victory under the leadership of Tony Blair. Background There was a poll in ''The Observer'' newspaper on the weekend before the election which showed that Portillo held only a three-point lead in his hitherto safe seat. He had been widely expected to contest the Conservative leadership after the general election, which without a Commons seat he would be unable to do. There was a memorable interview between Portillo and ''Newsnight'' host Jeremy Paxman on election night prior to the calling of the result in Enfield Southgate. Paxman decisively opened with the question "Michael Portillo, you gonna miss the Ministerial limo?", taken ...
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Rump Party
A rump party is a political party that is formed by the remaining body of supporters and leaders who do not support a breakaway group that merges with another party, or forms a new party. The rump party can have the name of the original party, or a new name. Examples: * Alliance (New Zealand political party), following the departure of Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand * Alberta Liberal Party * Bavaria Party * The pro-protectionism Conservative Party in the UK after the breakaway of the free trade Peelite faction in 1846 over the repeal of the corn laws. * Diverse conservative parties in Canada ** Alberta Social Credit Party, renamed to Pro-Life Alberta Political Association in 2017 ** British Columbia Social Credit Party, dissolved in 2023 ** BC United, rump party of the British Columbia Liberal Party ** Conservative Party of British Columbia, until 2024 ** Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, in the 1920s to 1960s and again in the late 2010s ** Progressive Conser ...
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