UK withdrawal from the European Union would not be as “cataclysmic” for British jobs as supporters of membership claim, London Mayor Boris Johnson claimed today.

Would-be train drivers: Roll up, roll up to the Waterford & Suir Valley Railway for a chance to fulfil a childhood ambition.

Ahead of his visit to Cork, Dan Buckley spoke to broadcaster and former politician Michael Portillo about Anglo-Irish relations, Britain’s Conservative Party, bailouts, and a love of trains

DAVID CAMERON said yesterday he would “love a Portillo moment” by ousting cabinet minister Ed Balls as he launched a campaign raid into the Education Secretary’s backyard.

DEBUT novelist Aravind Adiga won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction last night beating, among others, hotly tipped Irish author Sebastian Barry.

Debut novelist Aravind Adiga won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction tonight for his work which shows “the dark side of India”.

DUBLINER Sebastian Barry has been made favourite to win after he made it on to a shortlist of “page turners” announced for this year’s Man Booker Prize for fiction.

Irish writer Joseph O’Neill was tonight installed as one of the favourites to win this year’s prestigious Man Booker Prize.

More than 600 people have surrendered in China admitting their part in the Tibet anti-government riots, police said today.

China has said a British newspaper editorial comparing the Beijing Olympics to Hitler’s 1936 Games is an “insult to the Chinese people”.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell is to speak to Trinity College philosophy students later this month, it emerged today.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell and Hollywood actor Harrison Ford are among the stars lined up to speak to philosophy students at Trinity College in coming weeks.

British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft will today lead a delegation of high-ranking international and local officials who will visit a mass grave believed to contain the bodies of dozens of Srebrenica massacre victims found in north-eastern Bosnia, the British embassy said.

LAST week I had an interesting exchange of emails with two college mates of mine who live in London.

Tony Blair has won a record third term in Downing Street today – but saw Labour’s majority slashed by nearly 100.

BAE Systems is reportedly planning a board shake-up that puts former British Conservative Defence Secretary Michael Portillo (pictured) and Tory peer Lord Hesketh in the line of fire.

Britain's Olympic champion rower James Cracknell was back in action today, at the Gramophone Record of the Year Awards.

Tony Blair is the least trustworthy politician in Britain, a new survey found today.

Former British Defence Secretary Michael Portillo has ruled himself out of the race to become the next chairman of defence contractor BAE Systems.

THOSE of you who are late night political anoraks may have come across a BBC 2 television programme called This Week.

SHADOW chancellor Michael Howard is the bookies’ favourite to succeed Iain Duncan Smith as new leader of the Conservative Party.

THE political future of Iain Duncan Smith as leader of the conservative party may be decided today when the powerful 1922 Tory backbench committee orders him to face a vote of confidence.

WAR-TIME British prime minister Winston Churchill has been named the greatest Briton of all time in a nationwide poll that attracted well over one million votes.

Winston Churchill is the winner of the BBC's Great Britons poll.

Most television viewers say broadcasters are using sex to boost ratings – yet it is failing to arouse their interest, according to a survey today.

Ken Clarke tonight flew into the lead as odds-on favourite to win the Tory leadership race.

Michael Portillo has resigned from mainstream politics after his humiliating defeat this afternoon in the latest round of the British Conservative Party leadership race.

Michael Portillo has been eliminated from the British Conservative Party's leadership race after failing to secure enough support to progress to the final round of voting.

Shadow defence secretary Iain Duncan Smith has won support from Ann Widdecombe after saying he is "likely" to join the race for Britain's Tory leadership.

Kenneth Clarke says he would like to lead the Tories but won't decide for about 10 days on whether to stand as a candidate.

Iain Duncan Smith has confirmed he is considering joining the Conservative Party leadership race.

Michael Portillo is to stand for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

Michael Portillo is expected to announce his long-awaited bid for the British Conservative Party leadership.

Michael Portillo will stand for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

Shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe has confirmed she may throw her hat in the ring in the contest to succeed William Hague.

Michael Portillo and Ann Widdecombe are among the favourites to take over the leadership of the Conservative party following William Hague's resignation this morning.

William Hague has said that "no man is more important than the party" before stepping down as Conservative Party leader.

The Tories turned their fire on Labour over tax and Europe again today - with two former Conservative premiers due to speak out.

British Shadow Chancellor Michael Portillo today dismissed reports of his plans to run for the Tory Party leadership as ‘‘lies’’.

The Sun newspaper has urged its British readers to vote Labour at the coming election after a Budget it hailed as an "astounding achievement".