Men should not presume to call themselves feminists, Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested, as he says giving himself the label would be "ridiculous".

Mr Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP, said he supported feminists but was not one himself, arguing women should be the ones to decide whether someone qualified for the definition.

Asked whether he was a feminist during a discussion at Cheltenham Literature Festival, he said: “You’re asked me to put a label on myself which, if I applied to myself, would make me sound ridiculous.”

When pressed on why, Mr Rees-Mogg explained: “Because I’m a man. I think it has particular political connotations.

“I think men saying they’re feminists is slightly trying to take on something that it’s not for a man to be. “I can say I support feminists. But I think for me to say I’m a feminist is claiming for myself that, as Jess Phillips, his fellow panelist] says, is probably for her to decide.”

Mr Rees-Mogg appeared at the festival with Labour MP Jess Phillips to discuss friendship across the political divide, following a Channel 4 show which paired the two politicians with opposing views.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who has recently been tipped for Conservative leadership, spoke up in support of Ms Phillips, who has received extensive abuse online for being in the public eye.