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Jeremy Corbyn has revealed he has a secret obsession with cheese - and believes English-made brands outshine French fromage.

In a festive chat, the Labour leader said he finds cheese “very interesting” and once smuggled a whole bagful illegally into Mexico while on holiday.

"I'm passionate about English cheese,” he said.

"It is better than French - it's sharper and there's more variety.”

Mr Corbyn said that as a backbench MP he was a member of an obscure all-party Parliamentary group on cheese, and is still fascinated by the different types to be found on a festive cheeseboard.

‘The variety of cheese in England is amazing,” he said.

"I like Somerset Brie, it has a nice taste to it. And Shropshire Blue, the county where I'm from. The sharper the better.”

Perhaps conscious of a diplomatic incident, Mr Corbyn was keen to stress he also enjoys a little French fromage.

“Camembert is better the riper it is. It's best of all with a bit of mould on it,” he said.

Mr Corbyn's obsession is so intense that he once filled a bag with English cheeses and tried to take them to Mexico while visiting his wife Laura Alvarez's family.

Suspicious border officials checked the bag and pointed out that dairy products are not allowed into Mexico, to which Mr Corbyn cheekily replied: “Solamente queso no mas!” - meaning, 'It's only cheese!'”

“They just said 'oh, okay then' and let me through,” the Labour leader laughed.