The former Tory MP and host of The Rest Is Politics on a dinosaur he’d bring back to life, being thin-skinned and hating his bandy legs

Born in Hong Kong, Rory Stewart, 53, served as Conservative MP for Penrith and The Border from 2010. He was secretary of state for international development when he launched an unsuccessful bid to become Tory leader in 2019. Later that year, he resigned from the party to stand as an independent in the London mayoral elections. He co-hosts the podcast The Rest Is Politics and is the author of prize-winning and ­bestselling books including The Places in Between and Politics on the Edge. His latest is Middleland. He is married with two children and lives in London.

What is your greatest fear?
I become very anxious if I think I’ve hurt someone.