Portillo, Michael Denzil Xavier

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Portillo, Michael Denzil Xavier (1953– ) British politician, secretary of state for defence (1995–97). He became a Conservative member of Parliament in 1984. In 1994 he became secretary of state for employment. His right-wing Euroscepticism saw him often at odds with official Conservative Party policy, and he lost his seat in the 1997 general election.