With his uneasy poses, glances at his watch and self-comfort fiddles, Boris looked suspiciously like a man who did not really want to be at yesterday’s leadership showdown in Birmingham.
His relief looked tangible as he shot out of his seat at the end to dash off.
Boris is never a man who sits easy, or with elegance.
But the way he sat so low in his chair that his padded suit shoulders rose to ear level suggested a lack of enthusiasm to be grilled.
His head appeared to sag, bobbing like a nodding dog, and his air-punch gestures seemed an effort at bravado.
The way he pulled his pen in and out of his pocket hinted at inner anxiety.
Asked about the police being called to his flat, he seemed to use an actor’s device of doing “a bit of business”.
He fiddled with his notes and the folder on his lap, unfolded his notes and played with his pen, often a way to stop natural body language reactions.
From splayed knees hinting at confidence, he crossed his ankles – a sign confidence was flagging.
We got frequent stammering, steepled brows, and contradictory gesticulation.
Near the end he recovered a bit, but showed unease, rubbing his face and hair, when asked about Rory Stewart .
