Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption Which political heavyweight likes to bounce around on a trampoline – naked?
Politicians are busy people. When they’re not running the country or their party, they’re trying to persuade the public to vote for them. But they also have families, hobbies and passions. So, when they do get a bit of spare time, what exactly do the party leaders do with it?
Leisure time
Image copyrightPAImage caption Theresa May often heads to the hills with her husband Philip
Mrs May has also said she and her husband Philip enjoy “quite strenuous walking up mountains in Switzerland”. It may be worth remembering that the prime minister studied Geography at Oxford University.
And while it’s not exactly a hobby, she’s also known for her love of shopping for shoes.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has an interest in the design and history of manhole covers – a hobby which he himself has described as “zany”.
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“My mother always said there’s history in drain covers. I take pictures of them. People think it’s a little odd, but there we are.”
He also likes to visit Cambridge. “One of my secret joys is to get a train up and ride around for the day.” He couldn’t drive there, because he doesn’t own a car, which perhaps goes some way to explain his interest in trains.
<figure class=”media-landscape” has-caption full-width”> Image copyrightScience Photo LibraryImage caption Tim Farron gets a Buzz out of the Apollo space programme
When it comes to relaxing, you’ll often find the UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Paul Nuttall in a boozer – he describes himself as a “pub person”, with Guinness his tipple of choice.
This walking theme among a few politicians raises the tantalising prospect of the Tories, Lib Dems and Greens having an impromptu Parliamentary debate out on a wind-swept hill somewhere.
<figure class=”media-landscape” has-caption full-width”> Image caption The UK’s political leaders have a varied range of personal interests
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), says her favourite travel destinations are Skye and Portugal.
The Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) Arelene Foster has previously been a Girl Guide leader.
Screen time
Jeremy Corbyn’s favourite films are said to be Casablanca and The Great Gatsby – although which version of the latter is unclear, given there have been four cinema versions spanning a period from 1926 to 2013.
Nicola Sturgeon is a fan of Borgen, the Danish political drama about a woman who rises to become prime minister while having to maintain a fragile coalition.
<figure class=”media-landscape” has-caption full-width”> Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption Don’t be distracted by that grin – George is actually great at conversation too
If Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood spends any time in front of the TV, it’s usually watching political programmes, such as Newsnight and Question Time. She also says the programme Valleys Rebellion by actor Michael Sheen, about political disillusionment in Wales, has made her cry.
Political harmonies
Tim Farron spends his spare time “watching music on YouTube”, a legacy from the days when he fronted a New Romantic band called The Voyeurs in 1980s. At least, it was called that until they realised what it meant. Then they changed it to Fred the Girl.
The Lib Dem leader said the band, which had a recording session with Island Records, were described as a “fourth rate New Order – which I’m very proud of”.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has revealed musical tastes that range from Joni Mitchell to Leonard Cohen to Luke Kelly on his Twitter feed. Nicola Sturgeon has expressed admiration for the Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit.
<figure class=”media-landscape” has-caption full-width”> Image caption Arelene Foster (left) and Jonathan Bartley both enjoy music, while Caroline Lucas (right) loves animals
Caroline Lucas says she joined the Green Party in 1986 after being “utterly inspired” by Jonathon Porritt’s book Seeing Green.
She’s also mentioned reading The Secret Intensity of Everyday Life, by William Nicholson, which she described as “an incredibly compassionate novel”.
Nicola Sturgeon names Sunset Song, a story of a young woman’s struggles growing up in a dysfunctional family in a farming community in Scotland, published in 1932, as her favourite book of all time.
She also says James Kelman is one of her favourite authors, and suggested on Twitter that people should read his book Dirt Road.
Furry friends
<figure class=”media-landscape” has-caption full-width”> Image copyrightJeremy CorbynImage caption El Gato has not revealed his thoughts on the Labour manifesto
No such fears for Gerry Adams, who has owned dogs since he was four or five years old. He also likes hanging out with his grandchildren’s dogs, and often goes hill walking with them.
Caroline Lucas has formalised her love of animals by becoming a vice-president of the RSPCA. She and her family also own a chocolate Labrador called Harry.
“At Ferrero Rocher in the early 1990s you were allowed to eat as many chocolates as you liked. It sounded like a dream job. I can’t look at them now though because I ate too many. I had so many on the first day that after day three I couldn’t stand them any more.”
It’s been reported that he loves making jam with fruit grown on his allotment, and once belonged to an All Party Parliamentary Group for Cheese.
But his second wife, Jane Chapman, has said Mr Corbyn never once took her out for dinner during their five years together, preferring instead to “grab a can of beans and eat it straight from the can” to save time.
“Forget your Earth mother, lentil-loving, leftie alternatives like soya and almond milk. Give me the real stuff. I drink milk with almost every meal and have done since I was a kid,” he said.
A question of sport
<figure class=”media-landscape” has-caption full-width”> Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption Jeremy Corbyn prefers pedal power to the combustion engine
Theresa May is a big fan of cricket, including Geoffrey Boycott and the West Indian fast bowler Tony Gray among her heroes. And she recently said she preferred rugby over football.
Tim Farron, a fan of the football team Blackburn Rovers, is also a keen player of the Beautiful Game himself.