Airstrip One

So that's what Portillo was offered

The shadow cabinet is announced yet strangely no shadow foreign secretary is named. Rather odd seeing as it is such a heavy hitting post. So when Portillo said that he had been offered some big shadow cabinet job, that's what he was talking about.

However according to Norman Lamont, Howard is not that much better on the second most important question facing British foreign policy (and is marginally worse on the most important question):

Both Michael Howard and Tony Blair are strongly pro-American. Mr Blair's attitude comes from his belief that it is in Britain's interest always to stay close to the United States. Michael Howard would strongly agree with that. But Michael's pro-American feelings are altogether wider and more emotional. His enthusiasm for America extends from American football, through American salad dressings, to discussing the differences in the electoral colleges of Iowa and California. One of his favourite books is Tender Is the Night by the American author, F Scott Fitzgerald, whereas Blair's choice on Desert Island Discs was Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott.

OK, he has no big pecuniary interest in the Special Relationship like a certain Leader of the Opposition of not too long ago - but deciding issues of cold national interest on emotional grounds? What is that softie doing leading the party of the national interest?