Michael Portillo
2008 Judge (Chair)
- Prizes judged
Michael Portillo is a British journalist, author, broadcaster and former politician.
The Right Honourable Michael Portillo read history at Cambridge and worked for the Conservative Party and for government ministers between 1976-83 and entered the House of Commons in 1984. He was a minister for eleven years and had three positions in the Cabinet, including Secretary of State for Defence and between 2000-05 he was Shadow Chancellor. Since leaving politics he has been a regular contributor on television and radio, making documentaries on a wide range of subjects, including eight series of Great British Railway Journeys, five series on the continent of Europe, and two in the United States, for BBC2. He has also written books about these great train journeys and in 2011 he chaired the Art Fund prize for museums and galleries.