[A-List] UK state: Michael Portillo

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

What to make of this? A former Defence Secretary joins the board of the
country's leading arms manufacturer. Given all the shenanigans detailed
in our "UK corporate state" thread this is pretty unremarkable. However,
it looks a bit like the state looking after one of its own with a sort
of consolation prize. Portillo probably guessed a while before losing to
Iain Duncan Smith that his road to glory would not be via leadership of
the Conservative Party, which is dangerously close to extinction as a
political vehicle of any relevance whatsoever. To emerge in another
political outfit at the present time would be beyond Portillo's
abilities, although that should not be ruled out later on. After all,
David Owen might want to start another party of his own, in which case
Portillo should be aware of the leadership stipulations should he get
too ambitious. However this appointment looks like an engineered
opportunity to enable Portillo to bide his time until something bigger
comes along in the unforeseeable future.


BAE recruits former Defence Secretary Portillo to board
By Michael Harrison Business Editor
The Independent, 12 September 2002

Michael Portillo, the former Secretary of State for Defence who lost out
in the Tory leadership battle a year ago, was yesterday appointed to the
board of BAE Systems, the world's second biggest defence supplier.

This is Mr Portillo's first non-executive directorship since he decided
to quit national politics following his defeat in the Conservative
leadership race last September at the hands of Iain Duncan Smith. It is
also the first time that BAE has had a former defence secretary on its
board.

Mr Portillo said he had decided to join BAE because defence was an area
which interested him but he rejected suggestions that he would be active
in helping the company to win orders. "I do have some expertise in parts
of the world where BAE operates but this is a company with such
experience and expertise that it is hardly on the lookout for a
door-opener," he added. "Sir Dick Evans [BAE's chairman] has a contacts
book which is a great deal weightier than mine."

One of his more memorable and controversial speeches in office was his
address to the Conservative Party conference in 1995 when he invoked the
spirit of the SAS and its famous motto: "Who dares wins." Mr Portillo
said: "It is not a speech I strive to recall."

He remains the Conservative MP for Kensington and Chelsea but he has
given up his ambition to become prime minister in favour of building a
career in industry and the media. He is tipped as a future BBC presenter
and has already fronted a number of radio and television programmes
including one about the Spanish Civil War and one about his other great
passion - the music of Wagner.

He will be paid £36,000 at BAE where he has replaced the former ICI
chairman Sir Ronald Hampel, who retired as a non-executive earlier this
year.