| Age | 71 |
| Birthday | 26 May, 1953 |
| Birthplace | Bushey, Hertfordshire, UK |
| Height | 5' 11" (180 cm) |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Claim to Fame | Great British Railway Journeys |
Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo (born 26 May 1953) is a British journalist, broadcaster, and former Conservative politician. He was first elected to the House of Commons in a by-election in 1984. A strong admirer of Margaret Thatcher, and a Eurosceptic, Portillo served as a junior minister under both Thatcher and John Major, before entering the cabinet in 1992. A "darling of the right", he was seen as a likely challenger to Major during the 1995 Conservative leadership election, but stayed loyal. As Defence Secretary, he pressed for a purist Thatcherite course of "clear blue water", separating the policies of the Conservatives from those of the Labour Party.
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