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He was born in Bushey, in Hertfordshire. His father was an exiled Spanish republican, Luis Gabriel and his mother, Cora Blyth, was Scottish. He was educated at Harrow County grammar school and then won a scholarship to Peterhouse, Cambridge where he came under the influence of don Maurice Cowling . He graduated in 1975 with a degree in history, and after a brief stint with Ocean Transport and Trading Co., a freight firm, he joined the Conservative Research Department in 1976. Following the Conservative victory in 1979 he became a government adviser. He left to work for Kerr-McGee Oil from 1981–83 and contested his first political seat in 1983 standing in Perry Barr, Birmingham against Jeff Rooker and losing badly. He returned to advisory work for the government and in 1984 he stood and won the Enfield Southgate by-election following the death of the incumbent, Anthony Berry, in the Brighton hotel bombing.
Portillo retained the Enfield Southgate seat until 1997. Initially he was a PPS to John Moore and then assistant whip. In 1987 he was made under secretary for Social Security, in 1988 he was given his first ministerial post as Minister of State for Transport. He was then held the local government portfolio (1990). He demonstrated a consistently hard right line and was favoured by Norman TebbitNorman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit PC (born March 29, 1931), is a right-wing British Conservative politician and formerly MP for Chingford, Essex. Born in Enfield, he was a journalist on the Financial Times, before serving with the RAF during four year and Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born October 13, 1925) is a British politician and the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a position she held from 1979 to 1990. She is a member of the Conservative Party and still. His rise continued under John MajorThe Right Honourable John Major CH is a British politician and was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 to 1997, attaining that office when he succeeded Margaret Thatcher as Conservative Party leader. Early life Major was born March 29, 1943, th, he was made a Cabinet Minister as Chief Secretary to the TreasuryThe Chief Secretary to the Treasury is a junior position in the British Cabinet. It was created in 1961, to share the burden of representing the treasury with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The position's responsibilities include negotiating with depart (1992) and then held the portfolios of Employment (1994) and then Defence (1995-1997). The Defence job was a reward for his cautious loyalty to Major during the leadership challenge of John RedwoodThe Right Honourable John Redwood (born June 15, 1951) is a British Conservative politician, MP for Wokingham and Shadow Secretary of State for Deregulation. Redwood, born in Dover, Kent, had a brilliant academic career behind him (Fellow of All Souls' Co. During this time he opposed the admission of homosexuals to the Armed Forces, a stance which would later return to haunt him.
His loss in the 1997 elections to Stephen TwiggStephen Twigg (born December 25, 1966) is a British politician and member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate for the Labour Party. He was educated at Southgate comprehensive, where he once clashed with the local Conservative MP Michael Portillo (more of came as a shock to many politicians and commentators, and came to symbolise the extent of the Conservatives' rout. He renewed his attachment to Kerr McGee but also did substantial media work to maintain his profile including programmes for the BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation BBC is primarily a national publicly-funded broadcaster based in the United Kingdom, which also has some international services. Some of the international services (such as BBC cable TV in America, Canada and elsewhere and Channel 4. He worked hard to reposition his reputation as more of a centre-right figure, even confessing to youthful homosexual dalliances.
He returned to parliament in late November 1999 representing Kensington and Chelsea, succeeding Alan Clark in this very safe Tory seat. In February 1 2000 William Hague promoted him to the Shadow Cabinet as shadow Chancellor. On February 3 Portillo stood opposite the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, in the House of Commons for the first time in his new role. During this session Portillo made two amazing annoucements
Both of these policies were flagship policies of New Labour and were bitterly opposed by the Conservative Party when introduced and indeed up until Portillo's annoucement. Commentators suggested this was an example of Portillo taking the initiative in terms of Tory party policy and was the first step towards increasing acrimony between Hague and his shadow Chancellor.
Following the 2001 elections he contested the leadership of the party, initially leading well but was knocked out in the final round of voting by Conservative MPs. When Iain Duncan Smith was elected leader Portillo returned to the backbenches. In 2003 he announced that he would not seek reselection as the Conservative candidate for the Kensington and Chelsea seat, and therefore would step down from the House of Commons at the next general election. He said that he expected to pursue his interests in the media and the arts.
He has been married to Carolyn Eadie since 1982.
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