Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Michael Portillo, former darling of the Tory party*, is set to join a new advisory board at Portland, the PR firm**. In some ways it seems a shrewd move for founder Tim Allan, seen for a long while as a Blairite figure. Allan used to be a deputy to Alastair Campbell at 10 Downing Street.
Most lobbying firms are now scrambling to get close to the Tories because they see Labour as a lost cause.
Then again, Portillo has been out of the game for years now; is he still close to the central Tory clique?
* A reminder: Portillo came third (behind IDS and Ken Clarke) in the 2001 Tory leadership contest. He retired from the Commons in 2005, since when he has pursued a media career.
** Portland’s clients include corporate giants such as Google, Coca-Cola, Tesco, Vodafone and ITV. They also represent Oleg Deripaska, the Russian oligarch.
UPDATE
I forgot to mention. Portland also employs George Eustice, former spokesman for David Cameron. Although I believe he’s standing as the Tory candidate for a Cornish seat at the general election.
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