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Archer, Jeffrey

Portillo Distances Himself from Archer Amid Election Shambles

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Michael Portillo, the Conservative candidate in the upcoming Kensington and Chelsea by-election, has admitted that the chaos surrounding Jeffrey Archer's exit from the London mayoral contest could harm his chances of winning. The controversy surrounding Archer's participation in the campaign, despite having no formal backing from the Conservative Party, has led to a media scrum and a joint gay rights and Labour protest, forcing William Hague to cancel a campaign visit.

As the election approaches, Portillo has distanced himself from Archer, stating that he had not formally backed him or any other Tory candidate for London mayor. Despite praising Archer as a "tremendous supporter" of the Conservative Party, Portillo emphasized the importance of maintaining the party's integrity, saying, "We are entitled to expect everyone in the Conservative Party who gives his word to be true to his word."

Portillo's campaign is likely to face a tough battle, with polls suggesting a low turnout could result in a slim majority. The Conservative Party's goal is to maintain its 9,519 majority, secured by the late Alan Clark in the 1997 general election.

Key Takeaways:

  • The chaos surrounding Jeffrey Archer's exit from the London mayoral contest has damaged Conservative Party efforts in the Kensington and Chelsea by-election.
  • Michael Portillo, the Conservative candidate, has distanced himself from Archer, stating that he had not formally backed him or any other Tory candidate for London mayor.
  • Despite praising Archer as a "tremendous supporter" of the Conservative Party, Portillo emphasized the importance of maintaining the party's integrity.
  • The controversy has led to a media scrum, forcing William Hague to cancel a campaign visit and creating a challenging environment for Portillo's campaign.
  • Portillo's campaign is expected to face a low turnout, which could result in a slim majority for the Conservative Party.
  • Archer's defiance of Conservative Party protocol and his failure to resign until after he was nailed in a libel case and the media finally got the story have left Conservative officials embarrassed.
  • Tory officials have warned that a low turnout could result in a slim majority for the Conservative candidate, making Portillo's campaign a close contest.

Statistics:

  • The Conservative Party aims to maintain its 9,519 majority, secured by Alan Clark in the 1997 general election.
  • 18 candidates are contesting the Kensington and Chelsea by-election.
  • The 1997 general election results for the constituency were: A. Clark (C) 19,887, R. Atkinson (Lab) 10,368, R. Woodthorpe Browne (Lib Dem) 5,668, and A. Ellis-Jones (UKIP) 540.

Sources:

  • The Times, 1999
  • The Times, 1997 (cited in The Times, 1999)

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