RIGHT SUIT FOR THE JOB

Robert Shrimsley on how the Portillistas stitched it up for their man

THE well-heeled, cut-glass and, let's face it, a touch self-satisfied elite of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea arrived ready to be seduced by the Castil- ian, and he charmed the votes off them by playing to their vanity. Sir Michael Craig- Cooper, the Conservative Association pres- ident, put them in the mood by reminding the audience they were choosing someone to succeed Alan Clark, whom he described as 'the distinguished diarist' rather than as a noted politician. In the end it was a stroll. As one of those present put it, 'He was simply in a different league.'

Michael Portillo won on the first ballot with 530 of the 840 votes cast. Andrew Roberts, the historian and local activist, observed, 'It was his for the taking and he didn't mess it up.' And, as he emerged tri- umphant to face the media, one could sense the red blood of the old Michael coursing back into his veins; the luxuriant swept-back hair gleaming — the oh-so-wide grin.

For all his protestations that he took nothing for granted, it was clear that Michael Portillo had not expected to spend Christmas without the initials MP after his name. One could almost forget the by-election itself; the coming necessity of trudging through the swanky streets, pursued by leather-jacketed gay activists, shouting and pouting about his failure to accept their political agenda.

The path back, it can now be told, was thoroughly prepared by others. Conservative Central Office had provided the local party with a shortlist of names on which Portillo was already the only star. Even on Tuesday senior CCO staff were swarming around the building. Here was Nick Wood, deputy head of press, there was Stephen Gilbert, director of campaigns, and there John Hayes, the Tory vice-chairman. And then there was Priti Patel, William Hague's personal press aide and Kevin Culwick, the press spokesman in charge of the by-election, and Adam Newton, another Tory press officer.

As the early rounds had progressed, a praetorian guard of young right-wingers, including Matthew Palmer and Mark Field, worked to clear away obstacles. Their help was important after Portillo's false start the revelation of his gay past was never intended to emerge quite so close to a selec- tion contest, and the subsequent denuncia- tions from some of the party elders clearly took him aback. But Michael Portillo has always been able to count on a hard core of fanatical supporters, even on those occa- sions when he might have wished otherwise, and they plotted to secure his return.

The forceful Philip Oppenheim was removed at the first round; when Hugo Swire, an old Etonian former Guards officer was tipped as Michael's main rival he fell at the next round — although the admission that he had neglected to vote in the local elections hastened his departure. By the last round there were Michael Portillo and three comparative political pygmies. Each had his merits. But as one present put it: `If I was Portillo and didn't beat these three I would go back to Spain.' Another was more gener- ous: 'They were all good men and they'll all get seats, but just not here.'

Portillo prepared meticulously. He spent the last days honing his speech and talking to his most trusted friends. By the time he came to deliver it he knew it so well he was able to speak without notes — the only one of the four who did. First came a dullish speech by Derek Conway, the only other former MP, which contained some jarring jokes of apology to the old Etonians present that he was sending his children to Harrow and was working now for the Cats Protec- tion League. He finished with an admission that he had not voted in the European elec- tions because he was abroad on business.

Next up was the local favourite, War- wick Lightfoot, a cerebral and well-liked Kensington councillor and former ministe- rial adviser to John Major and Norman Lamont. The audience clearly wanted to give him a fair shake and his punchy per-

'It's a bi-election.'

formance was rewarded with long applause and generous laughter. Asked for his views on hunting, he declared that foxes were a pest and voiced his joy that there were 'wonderful people ready to give up their leisure time to get rid of them'.

Then, at last, came the main event. The room perked up. People pressed the edge of the balcony of the gallery as he strode to the stage, the only one of the four not wearing a chalk-striped suit. To one side sat his wife Carolyn, dressed in grey and wearing an expression `like thunder'. He began a little nervously, but he had been well served by Peter Tatchell's OutRage! demonstration.

The militant gay activists stationed outside Kensington's red-brick town hall waved plac- ards branding Mr Portillo a hypocrite and homophobe. 'Portillo screws queers', pro- claimed one poster — a reference to his refusal to support an equal age of consent for gays. The police ordered Tatchell to cover up the word 'screws' on the grounds that it breached the Public Order Act.

Mr Portillo had avoided them on arrival, ushering his wife in through a side door.

London Tonight's political reporter stated

he had entered via the back door (geddit?). Most Tories regarded their presence as counter-productive, but they provided their target with a neat but courageous way into his speech. He was visibly anxious as he began with an apology for the 'mob' out- side, but it was an apology with a punch. He told Tories that having told the truth about his past he had put himself 'beyond the reach' of the protesters. 'They cannot harm Carolyn or myself,' he said.

He was rewarded with strong applause and one observer, Andrew Roberts, felt he then dropped into a highly confident and polished speech. He returned to the issue later, when asked why he had avoided the protesters, surprising some present by speaking of his sympathy for gay rights but also denouncing Peter Tatchell as the true hypocrite — a man who had hidden his own homosexuality when Labour candidate in the 1983 Bermondsey by-election.

The only really tricky question was why he had avoided the protesters at a previous selection meeting. Mr Portillo replied that he did not wish to give them any more pub- licity. Some were surprised that he gave 'by far the most left-wing speech of the four'.

He talked of his delight in the constituency, mentioning its diverse communities and prominent features. Describing himself as 'half Spanish', he felt would fit in well to such a multicultural seat.

Asked how he would ensure he did not undermine the Tory leader, he oozed loyal- ty saying he looked forward to repaying Mr Hague's loyalty to him, adding that the two men had discussed the issue and would 'manage it together'. Poor Mark Francois, the fourth candidate, gave the speech of a man who knew his fate was sealed.

Robert Shrimsley is chief political correspon- dent of the Daily Telegraph.