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The term has become a metaphor for an indication of a sudden and significant change in political fortunes. In 2006, it was feared that changes to the voting legislation, requiring verification of postal votes, could end the chance of a "Portillo moment" by delaying the declaration of results on election night,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1524842/New-votes-law-spells-end-of-the-Portillo-moment.html|title=New votes law spells end of the 'Portillo moment'|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=George|last=Jones|date=26 July 2006}}</ref> but in the 2010 general election it was reported that the Conservatives were seeking a "Portillo moment" to [[unseat]] the [[Secretary of State for Schools]], later Shadow Chancellor, [[Ed Balls]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/172024/Cameron-targets-Portillo-moment|title=Cameron targets 'Portillo moment'|work=The Express|date=28 April 2010}}</ref> In the event, Balls avoided such an ignominious fate.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/england/8667695.stm|title=Education secretary Ed Balls avoids 'Portillo moment'|work=BBC News|date=7 May 2010}}</ref>
Other subsequent examples include former Deputy Prime Minister and former leader of the Liberal Democrats, [[Nick Clegg]], losing his [[Sheffield Hallam (UK Parliament constituency)|Sheffield Hallam]] seat in the 2017 snap general election, and former First Minister of Scotland, and former leader of the SNP, [[Alex Salmond]], losing [[Gordon (UK Parliament constituency)|Gordon]] at the same election. At the following election, in 2019, the incumbent Liberal Democrat leader, [[Jo Swinson]], lost her [[East Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|East Dunbartonshire]] constituency to the SNP.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/five-possible-portillo-moments-at-the-next-election/|title=Five possible 'Portillo moments' at the next election|date=30 August 2023|website=The Spectator}}</ref><ref>https://www.itv.com/news/border/2017-06-09/blog-salmonds-defeat-is-scotlands-portillo-moment</ref> [[Liz Truss]]'s [[South West Norfolk in the 2024 general election|shock defeat]] at the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]] was also described as a Portillo moment.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Steerpike |title=Watch: Liz Truss loses her seat |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/watch-liz-truss-loses-her-seat/ |access-date=5 July 2024 |publisher=The Spectator |date=5 July 2024}}</ref>
==See also==
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