Jeremy Corbyn slated by Mumsnet users after saying he was ‘anti-sugar’ when asked what his favourite biscuit was
The Labour leader drew ire after saying he generally avoided the teatime treats in webchat
JEREMY Corbyn was slated by Mumsnet users after answering a question about his favourite biscuit with the response that he was "totally anti-sugar on health grounds".
He drew ire with users of the site in a webchat, with one saying it was “the most miserable response” they had ever read.
The Labour leader did say if he was “forced” then he would eat a shortbread, but said he generally avoided the teatime treat due to their sugar content.
But many of those taking part in the Q&A pointed out he was a keen jam-maker, which required a huge amount of sugar.
One asked: “Jeremy, if you're so anti-sugar could you please explain your recipe for jam?”
Another said: “Hang on. How can a person be anti sugar when one of their hobbies in making JAM?!”
And it was not just his answer to the biscuit question, which is asked to every politician who takes part in a Mumsnet chat, but his decision to answser it over more serious queries.
Some posters were annoyed Mr Corbyn failed to address queries about anti-Semitism and transgender rights, and instead talked about his favourite book.
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The hapless leftie said he had recently re-read ‘Things Fall Apart’, but his favourite was James Jpyce’s Ulysses “on the grounds that it's very hard to understand the first time and doesn't get much easier on the third or fourth reading of it”.
He added: “I first read it as my companion on a complicated series of trains travelling from London to Marrakech.”
Setting out his position on the biscuit issue though, Mr Corbyn said: "I'm totally anti-sugar on health grounds, so eat very few biscuits, but if forced to accept one, it's always a pleasure to have a shortbread."
One user, under the name TheBigDog, instantly responded: "You answered a question on biscuits but avoided any slightly challenging question? Are you really PM material?"
And another, GloGirl, said: "That's the most miserable response to the biscuit question I've ever read."
One poster, using the handle Youarenotprepared, said: "He doesn't even eat biscuits ffs. How are we supposed to trust him now?"
His rival for the Labour leadership Owen Smith answered the same question by saying he was “BIG on biscuits”.
In a Mumsnet webchat last week he said: “Custard creams a definite favourite, but round my nan’s as a boy I used to like a Garibaldi.
“You’ve got to like a biccy named after a revolutionary.”
The pair are the latest in a long line of politicians to take on the biscuit question at Mumsnet Towers, with Lib Dem leader Tim Farron wanting to choose Kendal Mint Cake before being told it wasn’t a real biscuit and switching to a custard cream.
Nicola Sturgeon went with a Tunnock's caramel wafer, while both Sadiq Khan and Yvette Cooper went for chocolate hobnobs.
Nick Clegg went with Rich Tea biscuits, while Ed Miliband said jaffa cakes, but former prime Minister David Cameron gave an unconvincing answer of “oatcakes with butter and cheese”.
However the worst answer was former Labour minister Andy Burnham, who said: “I don't have a sweet tooth and don't eat biscuits.
“But give me a beer and chips and gravy any day?”