Keir Starmer fends off laughing teenagers who want to know which Tory he has kissed

Keir Starmer refused to reveal the identity of a Tory he has kissed.

The leader of the Labour Party was answering questions from A-level politics students from St George's School in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, for an edition of the Telegraph'sChopper's Politics podcast and was asked by one named Ruby "which Tory" he had kissed.

Students laughed and Starmer said: "I'm not going to start disclosing that sort of thing".

"When I was your age or maybe a bit older meeting people I didn't sort of say 'this is a great night out, how's it going but before I go any further can I just see your Labour party membership card?'"

"Sometimes politics can get far too tribal where we're not prepared to form friendships, exchange views with people of other parties,” he added.

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

"That's completely mad and wrong. I've got really good friends who are Tories and that is a very good thing and it doesn't present me with any issues at all."

It comes after Starmer revealed he has in the past locked lips with people who do not share his politics.

Speaking to the Times, the Labour leader said he has not been “tribal” with personal relationships and politics and also has Tory friends.

Asked about other Labour figures who wear “never kissed a Tory” badges, Starmer said: “I’m afraid I’ve broken that rule. I’m not tribal. I’m on very good terms with many Tory MPs. I’m not ashamed about it and I’ve got very good friends who are Tories and they’ve been very, very good friends of mine for a very, very long time, and long may that last.”

It had been brought up because during the summer, Lucy Powell, a member of Starmer’s shadow cabinet, was pictured wearing a T-shirt with the phrase “never kissed a Tory” at Manchester pride.

Speaking to the students, Starmer added that this phrase started as a joke but now people take it seriously. And when Christopher Hope pressed him on whether the Tory he has kissed "is involved in politics today", Starmer said "Err... I'm not going to be drawn" as students laughed again.

But Starmer didn't just talk about who he has snogged in the past. He also fielded questions about a number of issues including MPs charging Christmas parties to parliamentary expenses.

"I sincerely hope that no MP does that," he said.

"The fact that you can do it doesn't mean that you must do it. I think it's really hard to look the public in the eye and justify that I certainly won't be doing it.”

He also said a Labour government would not seek further to "nationalise gas and electricity" companies, although he said the party was "pragmatic" about "the case for public ownership".

On tax, he said: "I want taxes to come down for working people. They've been really clobbered time and time again, whether that's on income tax, whether it's National Insurance or council tax."

And pressed by one student if he had ever taken drugs, the Labour leader refused to say "yes" or "no" but mysteriously replied: "I had a good time when I was younger."

It is a simple and fundamental principle that the government derives its democratic legitimacy from the people. The future of the country must not be decided by plotting and U-turns at Westminster; it must be decided by the people in a general election. And for this reason The Independent is calling for an election to be held. Have your say and sign our election petition by clicking here.

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.