Speaking at the Labour Party Conference, deputy leader Harriet Harman admitted to having read Fifty Shades of Grey.

In her closing speech to delegates, Harman accused the bestseller book of being "unrealistic", claiming most women would rather watch the Great British Bake Off than indulge in sado-masochism.

She added that she had only read the erotic novel for "research purposes", saying most women do not want "a man who ties you to the bed, but one who unstacks the dishwasher."

She then joked: "Just the other week, I had an awkward moment when a journalist asked me if I'd read 'that' book. Women here will know the one.

"The one about a sado-masochistic relationship, you know, with a dominant superior controlling a naive submissive.

"And I said, 'Don't be silly - of course I've read the coalition agreement'."