10 of the strangest moments from the latest Tory leadership debate

On Tuesday evening, the five remaining candidates in the Tory leadership race congregated in the BBC studios for a debate... of sorts.

What followed was possibly one of the worst 60 minutes of television that the BBC has ever broadcast, as Emily Maitlis attempted to prise any answers out of the five candidates.

The whole set-up started out as a debacle and then descended into a farce with Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart all trying to tell us why they should be the next prime minister.

The latter of these five, Rory Stewart, was probably the only one who did himself any favours, but his demeanour and mannerisms throughout the whole debate was odd to say the least.

What was up with his legs?

Rather than sit on a stool in a normal manner he decided to sit right on the edge of the seat with his feet placed firmly on the ground and, at one point, did something quite odd with his neck.

Where did Rory's tie go?

That wasn't Stewart's only bizarre moment of the evening. The MP started the debate off with his tie on and by the end of the evening, it was nowhere to be seen.

Is this a boy band concert or game show?

The unusual set-up of the five candidates all sat in a semi-circle on stools made it look like some sort of small and intimate boy band concert or an episode of Blind Date.

Whatever Boris Johnson said...

There is almost no need for these debates to happen or for Johnson to have taken part as he is so far ahead in the polls it would take a miracle for him to fail now.

Literally, the only person standing between Johnson and Number 10 now is himself and by golly, he tried his best.

Emily Maitlis.

The BBC host was given the unenviable task of trying to compare this ensemble and make it in any way presentable. She tried. She really tried...

The questions from the public were possibly the only highlight.

The likes of Erin from Glasgow, Carmella from Southampton and Tina from Tunbridge Wells all stole the show in their own unique way.

Only Conservative party members can vote in this so, seriously, what's the point?

HT Huffington Post

More: People love this incredibly snarky TV listing for the Tory leadership debate