Repeatedly, as leaders of a coalition, Cameron and Clegg need to demonstrate solidarity. But, since they are in an unequal relationship, Clegg needs to be more appeasing, and Cameron needs to keep reminding everyone that he is the man who's in charge – he's primus inter pares.
If you watched the two leaders closely at the Stratford meeting you would have spotted these two competing motives at play. Both leaders were eager to present a united front and it showed in their body language, especially when they were listening to members of the audience.
On these occasions David Cameron and Nick Clegg stood side by side, motionless, listening intently, underlining seriousness by occasionally tilting their head to one side, and fiddling with their fingers in an uncannily similar fashion. Without realising it, they were engaged in "body echo", an unconscious demonstration that they're like-bodied because they're like-minded.
When they were listening to the audience the pair presented a perfect picture of co-operation. But as each question came to an end, they both made tiny intention movements, showing they were gearing up to be the first to answer. There were also tussles over who was going to orchestrate the occasion, as well as instances where they both tried to single out people in the audience at the same time.
When it came to deciding who was going to speak next, Clegg was definitely the keener. If he wasn't the centre of attention he was going to make sure he wasn't completely overshadowed by Cameron. This same theme was evident in the leaders' patterns of gaze. When two people of unequal rank are together the superior usually spends disproportionately more time looking at the subordinate while he himself talks and disproportionately less as the subordinate talks. This is visual dominance.
Both leaders conformed to this principle when they were speaking. Clegg would occasionally glance at Cameron, but Cameron hardly ever looked at Clegg. However, when they were in the listening role it was a different story. When Clegg was speaking, Cameron often gave him full attention, behaving, in other words, like a subordinate hanging on the boss's every word. But when Cameron was holding forth, Clegg tended to look around, surveying the scene, and certainly not giving Cameron the attention you'd expect from a second-in-command.
These gaze patterns suggest that Cameron wants all to know that he takes Clegg seriously, that he's happy to hang on his every word, which is completely consistent with his desire to bolster the Lib Dems after their recent defeats. But Clegg glances round the room when the prime minister talks and does not appear overly impressed with what he has to say.
