Strictly star gives Keir Starmer advice after surprise visit to Labour conference

AJ Pritchard has given Keir Starmer dance advice after the Mirror spotted the Strictly star at Labour Party's conference.

The professional dancer, who starred in the BBC show from 2016 to 2019, was asked by this newspaper what dance the Prime Minister would be best at. AJ chuckled at the question before hesitating and saying: "I'm trying to think of a very correct answer to this one."

But AJ quickly chose a dance for the PM, continuing: "He needs to tell a story so a Charleston. It's something that is always amusing. It makes people smile and I definitely think with his audience, on both sides of the goalposts they would love that." Asked what Strictly score he thinks Mr Starmer would get, he added playfully: "Depends how good he is - I can't give that. I've got to see the performance first."

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AJ said he was at Labour's annual conference as his partner works at Trust Reservations, a company handling hotel and conference packages for local authorities, unions and government departments. The Mirror spotted AJ by the firm's stand in the conference centre.

Asked what brought him to Liverpool, he said: "My other half was here so I thought I'd come along see what's happening and obviously politics and business is very intriguing." He added that he had a "financial investment company".

Speaking next to a huge queue for Mr Starmer's speech on Tuesday afternoon, AJ said: "We'll be watching the speech later. I know it is very busy. I can see the queues are piling up. It seems to be the place to be at the minute doesn't it?"

Describing the atmosphere, he added: "I know this may sound awful as a very normal person like myself, born in Stoke-on-Trent, it's actually quite exciting. People are very intrigued. Everybody has got a passion and a movement."

Mr Starmer was the first Prime Minister to address the annual conference in 15 years when he gave his speech on Tuesday. In a 45-minute speech, he was sober and serious about the "difficult road ahead" but also managed to inject some much needed optimism and enthusiasm into the crowd.

At one point he even made an arts-related joke, with a self-deprecating line about his love of classical music. Speaking about how he deals with negative press coverage, the PM said: “Even now I turn to Beethoven or Brahms in those moments when, how to put it…the reviews aren’t that good. So yes, before you ask - I’ve got some Shostakovich lined up for tomorrow.”

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