Body language experts say the "end may be nigh" for Boris Johnson, despite him vowing to stand and win the next General Election.
The embattled PM came under attack during a fiery PMQs in the wake of a raft of high profile resignations including Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
Among the attacks was a barb from a Tory backbencher asking in what circumstances he would leave No.10, while Labour leader Keir Starmer took aim.
Johnson has told friends he intends to “smash on”, despite hordes of MPs leaving his side.
But body language expert Darren Stanton suggests it may be more bluster.
He said: “While Boris wants to go on and win the next election, his body language says differently.
“A lot of his gestures and expressions during his appearance today at PMQs indicate he is not as entirely confident in his stability in office as he would like to project.
“Boris portrayed a lot of self-reassurance gestures and stuttered a lot when faced with constant rebuttal.
“Upon opening today’s PMQs, Boris tried to look like it’s business as usual, however, he appeared uneasy - for instance we saw him playing with his pen, taking it out of his jacket pocket and placing it back in again, a move he makes when trying to reassure himself.
“We saw his normal bluster and regurgitation of his statistics of achievements in office, however, the faces on the rest of the front bench, including Dominic Raab, looked awkward and were reflective of the very obvious large elephant in the room and a lack of confidence in their leader.
“Raab’s expressions were mirrored across the front bench, which could suggest the deputy PM is the lion mounting the first challenge to take over Johnson’s pride.
“While Boris was trying to appear robust, resolute and confident, it’s clear he is a very tired man and he knows it.
“Instead of his usual animated behaviour, Boris displayed a dramatic and visible shift in emotion - possibly signalling the end is nigh.”
Between 6pm on Tuesday and 3pm on Wednesday 27 MPs resigned from the government - 15 ministers, nine parliamentary private secretaries, two trade envoys and one Tory vice chair.
Meanwhile expert Judi James claimed Johnson’s body language performance was smoke and mirrors - with an emphasis on the smoke.
She added: “Looking so undeniably happy and delighted with yourself under circumstances like this can create cognitive confusion in your audience.
“It was the faces and reactions of his own side that were more telling for Boris though. Raab sat on one side and Zahawi on the other, with Nadine Dorries completing all that looked left of the ‘big guns’. The body language of his own party changed from bench to bench.
“Boris’s good humour and air of relaxation was not reflected anywhere in his own party, making him look like the bloke that leads the charge to turn round and find no-one is following him.
“It was an impressive display of bravado but it looked like a sole charge at an enemy that might have been sitting behind him rather than in front.”
