By Milly Vincent For Mailonline
Published: 20:41 BST, 22 June 2019 | Updated: 20:45 BST, 22 June 2019
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Boris Johnson appeared as if he may have left the house in a hurry this morning, sporting one inside-out sock as he spoke at hustings in Birmingham.
Poking out from his brogues the patterned sock marked the return of the famously unkempt Mr Johnson - a day after neighbour's reports of an explosive row saw police called to the South London flat he shares with his girlfriend.
Speculation over a new sharper image for Mr Johnson emerged after he began living with girlfriend and ex-conservative communications manager Carrie Symonds.
Mr Johnson turned up for his first Tory hustings today with his socks apparently on inside out
The glamorous PR executive who friends describe as brilliant and ambitious, is credited with having transforming Mr Johnson's public image over the past months.
Under her direction, his famous blond mane has been cropped, he has lost weight and his trademark dishevelled appearance has been replaced by a sharp-suited image in the run up to the Tory leadership race.
But today as Miss Symonds was absent from the Hustings in Birmingham, Mr Johnson's considered image seemed to hit a bump in the road.
With one paisley patterned sock inside out Boris avoided questions about the row at his girlfriend's house on Friday morning.
The dead bat response drew cheers from the audience - who also started booing when Dale tried to push further
Speaking at a hustings in Birmingham today, Boris Johnson did not mention the issue in his opening comments, insisting: 'We need to get Brexit done... and I am the right man.'
Broadcaster Iain Dale, hosting the event, said to Mr Johnson: 'They [the public] want to know why the police were called to your house in the early hours of Friday morning. If the police are called to your home it is important. A lot of people in politics do call into question your character.'
Mr Johnson replied: 'I don't think people want to hear about that kind of thing', and refused to answer the question five times in total.
Mr Johnson admitted the public was 'entitled to know about my determination and character'. But he added: 'Let me tell you that when I make a promise in politics about what I want to do I keep that promise.'
Meanwhile Jeremy Hunt did not make any comment on the incident when he was quizzed at the hustings and played it safe with plain black socks as he gave his pitch.
The Tory leadership hopeful and possible future prime minister shares the home with his partner Carrie Symonds (Pictured at his leadership launch earlier this month)
The couple pictured together in London on January 18, for the first time after Mr Johnson's second marriage ended following rumours of a relationship with
