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Watch: Marcon removes luxury watch during pensions TV clash

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Oh dear. It seems that Emmanuel Macron has done it again. The preening French president was in the middle of a television interview last night, discussing his unpopular attempt to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, when he realised that his, er, €2,400 (£2,100) watch might be causing him difficulties. Hardly the best way to rebut criticism that you’re just a ‘president of the rich’…

So what did Macron decide to do? During the half-hour prime time interview, Macron attempts to subtly remove his Bell & Ross timepiece around eleven minutes into the grilling. He placed his left arm under the table while casually answering answering a question but, when he brought it back up, the watch was nowhere to be seen. The Elysée spin doctors have now been forced to suggest that Macron had removed it because it was ‘clinking on the table’ but that hasn’t stopped his opponents on the left seizing on the images as the latest proof that the president is out of touch.

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Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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