All reflect high testosterone levels, associated with competitiveness, if not aggression. Think Leonid Brezhnev, Denis Healey and hawk-eyed Captain Ashdown Women leaders are problematical. Put bluntly, women are more attractive (for mating purposes) the less they resemble men. But the less they resemble men, the less they display the dominant features of leaders. Evolution is not liberal-minded.Mrs Thatcher, however, made her own rules. Clearly dominant, she was also described by many otherwise sane men as having a powerful erotic presence Perhaps the Tories should bring her back Age is attractive in a leader.

Societies under stress turn to elderly leaders: Churchill, De Gaulle, Reagan.The point about attractiveness is that it is more influential than it should be. Immelman describes a “halo effect” in which “people assume that attractive individuals have better personalities and are more well-adjusted, have higher occupational or social status, higher intelligence, and are more dominant.”We demand authenticity, but some kinds of authentic behaviour communicate better than others. If introverts and thinkers want to win elections, they will have to work harder. “Politicians have got to have great acting skills,” says Davies, “so that they are able to put their mind 100 per cent on the job.” She insists Tony Blair is actually an introvert who has “mastered a lot of extrovert skills”.Spillane says that “about 60 per cent of people in business are introverted by nature – but business is an extrovert arena” Like politics. The sliding scale from extroversion to introversion is near the heart of personality.

That does not change, she insists, “but we can all learn how to perform” And for all those Tory candidates, there’s still time.. Ken Clarke was limbering up last night to run for the Conservative leadership contest, in spite of his Sumo-like profile and delayed start, according to his closest friends. Ken Clarke was limbering up last night to run for the Conservative leadership contest, in spite of his Sumo-like profile and delayed start, according to his closest friends.Some of his most loyal allies, who despaired at his decision to go to Vietnam last week, were convinced after weekend consultations that the former chancellor will announce this week that he is going for the leadership.”All the body language says he is going to go for it, but the actual words never passed his lips,” said one Clarke supporter.He does not believe the week’s delay in Vietnam, which allowed Michael Ancram to steal a march, has damaged his own core vote. His friends are convinced that he is such a big figure, he will draw support from Mr Ancram once he enters.”The thing about Ken is that when he jumps in the pond, you know the waves will hit the bank,” said one of his allies.The Clarke camp, which include Michael Mates, the former campaign manager for Michael Heseltine, said the real battle is for second place behind Michael Portillo, who is virtually assured of first place in the ballot of MPs.Mr Clarke’s blokish image is seen by his supporters as the secret weapon that could help the Tories regain popularity with ordinary voters while Mr Ancram’s Tory Toff image would prove damaging.