‘Lacklustre’ Sunak doesn’t have confidence in his leadership, says leading body language expert

Leading body language expert Darren Stanton has analysed Rishi Sunak’s keynote speech at the Conservative Party conference to unpick the Prime Minister’s delivery and pick out how he really feels.

Speaking on behalf of BettingSites.co.uk, Stanton said, “Sunak’s speech was ‘lackluster’ and he didn’t have confidence in what he was saying. “The audience and ministers were not inspired by Sunak’s address.

Stanton: ‘Lacklustre’ Sunak doesn’t have confidence in the things he’s saying

It was a very lacklustre performance by Rishi Sunak, it was very standard and robotic – there was no passion and no real fire in his belly.

Other leaders at party conferences like Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, built the ending of their speech to a crescendo to instill passion and confidence in their vision that way, but Rishi shows incongruent gestures – his hands come down like an axe on a table, which, when done out of passion they do it simultaneously as they’re speaking, but Rishi is off beat and that tells me that he has little-to-no passion or confidence about the things which he is delivering.

In my opinion, Sunak knows deep down that he’s in trouble and his leadership is in jeopardy. Non-verbally, there are some unauthentic smiles – his face wasn’t engaged and there were no crows feet around his eyes which give away genuine happiness when we smile.

Stanton: The delegates and ministers in the room weren’t inspired by Sunak

In his heart, he knows the party is in trouble, and I think the audience knew it too. There was a shot of Jeremy Hunt, who realised he was in shot and showed loyalty by clapping a little more and his blink-rate doubled or tripled from the baseline, which tells me he had adrenaline shoot through his system as he was compelled to look more excited, suggesting he wasn’t particularly engaged in what Sunak was saying.

Others in the audience were clapping at half-speed when Sunak thought he delivered a big line, which is a lack of confidence and belief in what they’re hearing.

Stanton: SUNAK WIFE

Government after the next general election

Labour majority 1/2

Labour minority 7/2

Labour – Lib Dem coalition 13/2

Conservative minority 6/1

Conservative majority 8/1