The concept of Boris Johnson avoiding publicity takes some getting used to. Normally, the man seeks out TV studios like apes seek out trees – they are a natural habitat from which it would be cruel to separate him. Yet Boris has suddenly gone missing, to the point Boris-watchers might soon start to worry about possible extinction. He is refusing all broadcast interviews, and has limited his appearance in the Conservative leadership election campaign so far to a single newspaper interview with the Sunday Times.
There is, of course, some logic behind his sudden shyness. When Boris meets a microphone there is always a possibility – or a probability – of a gaffe which will go on to dominate the news agenda for days afterwards. That, indeed, might not be helpful when it comes to persuading his fellow MPs to put him on the list of two candidates that will be put forward to Conservative members.
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