Dale, Iain. "What if Michael Portillo hadn't lost his seat in 1997?"
Divergence: 1997 CE
What if: Portillo narrowly held on to his seat in the House of Commons in the 1997 British general election.
Summary: Although he Conservatives are ousted from power, Portillo is in position to successfully contest the party's leadership. Over the next few years he rebuilds the Conservative's image and program, until the Labour government calls an election right in the middle of the hoof-and-mouth disease crisis of 2001.
Published: In Prime Minister Portillo… and other things that never happened (eds. Duncan Brack and Iain Dale), q.v.