Yahoo News 'It’s all fake': Rory Stewart responds to fake selfie video claim while campaigning to be Tory leader
One of the contenders to be the next leader of the Conservative Party has been jokingly accused of faking a selfie video on social media.
Rory Stewart, minister for international development, is one of ten candidates to thrown their hat in the ring to be the next prime minister, following Theresa May’s resignation announcement last week.
Unlike some of the other candidates, Mr Stewart has been winning the social media war, regularly posting videos from the campaign trail.
But on Tuesday, he was forced to respond to accusations he may not have been the one holding the phone while filming a so-called selfie video.
Mr Stewart posted a video on his Twitter feed from Kew Gardens in London, where he had invited the public to approach him to talk about their concerns for the country.
Now - if anyone is around and wants to talk - in Kew Gardens - for the next hour pic.twitter.com/E45A26Y5uR
— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) May 28, 2019
However, the combination of a steady camera and a moving right hand led many observers to speculate that Mr Stewart had faked the selfie aspect of the video.
Politics website PoliticsJOE_UK went as far as asking the minister if he had indeed been the one holding the phone, or merely sticking out an arm to look that way.
He responded by tweeting back: “It’s all fake”.
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Mr Stewart won plaudits on Twitter after he posted a separate video of himself speaking in Dari, the language of Afghanistan.
He tweeted the clip of himself on Monday speaking to a member of the public in Barking, east London.
"Practising my now - rather rusty - Dari," he said.
It’s all fake
— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) May 28, 2019
Mr Stewart, seen by bookmakers as an outsider for the top job, lived in Afghanistan for several years as chairman of a human development organisation.
He has since been called upon as a political adviser on the country and presented a BBC documentary called Afghanistan: The Great Game.
Social media commentators noted that his "rusty" use of the language was actually quite impressive.
"One of the better conversational Daris I've heard from expats," wrote author and Afghanistan analyst Ahmad Shuja.
Former Conservative MEP Sajjad Karim tweeted: "This is what Britain needs in its leader today. I'm supporting Rory for leader of @Conservatives because he has what it takes."
