Michael Portillo

[QE Harold Flair]

Is he the most quite excellent person on tv? He always comes across very well, which is in stark contrast to his image when he was a politician. He's generally in tune with my political views, is probably a gay (so helps confirm I'm not a homophobe if I like him) and speaks sense whenever I hear him. I think today he would be seen in a much more positive light than back in the day. His train programme, which isn't about trains, is one of the best things on tv.

[niko_cee]

He's definitely rehabilitated himself post-97.

Sitting next to Diane Abbott for all those years could probably make Hitler look like a decent bloke, mind.

[QE Harold Flair]

I don't think he has. I just think it was his name, rubbery face and voice that made him look like a cunt in that particularly nasty time to be a Conservative.

[Lee]

Portillo is great and has been since he started on the telly.

He has, by his own admission, moderated some of the views he held pre-1997 which I think was a big lesson for him. Had he been elected Tory leader post-97 I think we'd have seen him as something similar to David Cameron rather than the hard line right winger some saw him as at the time. I suspect that has made him more likeable for more more people over time but I always quite liked him despite rarely thinking him correct on many issues.

[Lee]

I don't think he has. I just think it was his name, rubbery face and voice that made him look like a cunt in that particularly nasty time to be a Conservative.

He has definitely changed; he has said so himself.

[igor_balis]

Yeah he's definitely my favourite Tory, his train programme is quality.

[Yevrah]

He's top shit.

[phonics]

I really liked the Railway program but nowadays they've stretched the concept so thin it's basically just 'What does Michael want to talk about this week?'

I don't watch This Week that much but he's quite good on it though I think I've got rose tinted spectacles as my long stint of unemployment has led me to the notion that Daily Politics is the best show on TV and that Andrew Neil needs a knighthood.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Andrew Neil should be replacing the useless old fart Dimbleby on Question Time. That would raise the stakes a bit.

I find the Portillo train programmes a bit formulaic, personally, but my dad loves them and they're probably aimed at him.

[Boydy]

I like Portillo too.

[QE Harold Flair]

I like these '5 minutes with' titbits. Starkey's is as good one, too. Hitchens too, natually.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWOeoyl7whw

[Giggles]

Poor Harold won't know what to do with you all agreeing with him.

[Henry]

I really like him on a personal level despite disagreements and his trains program is indeed excellent.

Andrew Neil is a cunt though.

[Lee]

Andrew Neil's the best politics presenter on TV. Takes no shit from anybody of any hue.

[niko_cee]

Poor Harold won't know what to do with you all agreeing with him.

:D

I was toying with the idea of completely agreeing with him after that minor rebuke to see how he could manufacture a bone of contention.

[Henry]

Andrew Neilos the best politics presenter on TV. Takes no shit from anybody of any hue.

His reporting far too often displays his own personal (right wing) biases.

[Lee]

His reporting far too often displays his own personal (right wing) biases.

I only really catch him on This Week which is a light-hearted show so I don't see that.

[Lewis]

Portillo is great and has been since he started on the telly.

He has, by his own admission, moderated some of the views he held pre-1997 which I think was a big lesson for him. Had he been elected Tory leader post-97 I think we'd have seen him as something similar to David Cameron rather than the hard line right winger some saw him as at the time. I suspect that has made him more likeable for more more people over time but I always quite liked him despite rarely thinking him correct on many issues.

By all accounts when he came back him and the 'modernisers' (led by Francis Maude) who backed him were apparently right bunch of bitter bastards. William Hague spent as much time thwarting their press briefings and calculated shit as he did SAVING THE POUND. Get in touch, Jezza.

[The Merse]

Portillo is awesome. His chemistry with Abbot works brilliantly too.

Abbott started well on the DP, but within a couple of years outed herself both on and off screen as a massive dickwad.

[John]

His reporting far too often displays his own personal (right wing) biases.

It'd be a bit unreasonable to expect someone to front a political show and not let their own politics leak out at times. As long as he isn't offering an easy time to others with similar politics, which I've never seen him do, it's not an issue.

[Clunge]

Like the man; hate the politician. Decent bloke. His train shows are good, old school telly.

[Lee]

By all accounts when he came back him and the 'modernisers' (led by Francis Maude) who backed him were apparently right bunch of bitter bastards. William Hague spent as much time thwarting their press briefings and calculated shit as he did SAVING THE POUND. Get in touch, Jezza.

There's a documentary I've watched somewhere on YouTube in which Portillo acknowledges how much of a shit he was towards Hague. Mind you, he was right and Hague was wrong, so at least he was a shit for the right reasons.

I find the history of the Tories from killing Maggie to 2010 really interesting. Labour from Blair being knifed until whenever they achieve a modicum of sanity will be interesting too.

[niko_cee]

It would be interesting if there was anything there, which, bar a few (one?)ex-soldiers, there doesn't seem to be.

They've fallen foul of the first rule of clintonism.

[QE Harold Flair]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB4o5n2EGyA

:happycry:

[Charlie]

He visited the pub next to my house on his train program.

[The Merse]

Portillo in that clip :D

[QE Harold Flair]

Since he's a historian, he fully knew Abbott was talking nonsense. A great moment of television, all in all.