Buckling under the strain

During the Home Affairs Select Committee’s evidence session with Nick Buckles it was difficult not to fall into the trap of feeling rather sorry for the G4S chief. He was softly spoken and anxious-looking. His haircut made him look rather boyish. Next to the garishly pinstriped Ian Horseman-Sewell, he appeared more muted. Buckles even seemed a little confused by the hearing. Was the committee speaking in fluent English, Keith Vaz asked him, slightly jovially, at one point. Buckles confounded him rather by saying he didn’t know.

When asked by David Winnick whether this was a ‘humiliating shambles for your company’, Buckles gave a sheepish reply. ‘I cannot disagree with you,’ he said quietly.

But Buckles is the swashbuckling boss of a security firm which, as Vaz pointed out, has its own flag and a song and has more employees than there are citizens of Luxembourg.