They saw this as a way to benefit the causes involved, false modesty be damned.

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That may be a by-product of his straight-talking nature and his supreme confidence, which mean he sees no need to pull punches or partake in false modesty.

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As a result, little new came out of the Leveson Inquiry hearing, Neil said, only a kind of "false modesty" as Murdoch sought to downplay his influence.

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However, coming from Sir Samuel Brittan, peerless economic and political commentator long in residence at the Financial Times, the idea that a collection like this requires some such justification verges on false modesty.

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It's not false modesty - he knows what he has done and is rightfully proud of it - but an unease about appearing false, being seen as a big-time Charlie, when he is just plain Paul.

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This was not about symbolic false-modesty, but about real tactical leadership effectiveness.

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No slyness, no false generosity, sentimentality or modesty, no affecting a pose (or position) for ulterior advantage and no shrinking from a full commitment to his beliefs.

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