The former Tory defence secretary, Mr Michael Portillo, widely tipped for an imminent return to Westminster, has confessed to having homosexual experiences as a young man. In a dramatic personal revelation, Mr Portillo tells today's London Times: "I had some homosexual experiences as a young person."
Mr Portillo emerged from his London home with his wife, Carolyn Eadie, last night and said he had been "dogged by vicious rumours" recently. He said he thought it was a good time to put the record straight.
The confession by the man seen increasingly as the next Tory leader risked scuppering his chances of a return to the House of Commons through the safe Kensington and Chelsea seat of the late Alan Clark.
Mr Portillo, who has yet to publicly confirm that he will stand for Mr Clark's seat, is the most senior Conservative to admit having had homosexual experiences. In the Times interview, conducted on July 26th, he was questioned at length about "slurs" about his sexuality and relationships while at Cambridge in the early 1970s.
Mr Harry Grennway, a former Conservative MP, said the disclosures may have jeopardised Mr Portillo's chances of becoming the candidate in Kensington and Chelsea. But Tory MPs who were approached last night refused to comment.