Labour Party leader Ed Miliband loved Manic Miner on the ZX Spectrum

Labour Party leader and potential next UK prime minister Ed Miliband was once an avid fan of the ZX Spectrum classic Manic Miner. He spoke of his love for the game when growing up during an interview with Absolute Radio.

Absolute's Geoff Lloyd introduced the interview by admitting he could not decide what music to introduce Miliband with. "I thought of Eye Of The Tiger... but I eventually settled on this..." he said before playing music from the 1980s platformer.

Clearly on a nostalgia trip, Miliband appeared delighted to hear the tune, explaining his love for the game growing up. He said: "I was really good at Manic Miner, you know, as I remember there were 20 levels... and I used to drive my parents slightly mad."

Asked whether he completed the game (there were indeed 20 levels, or "caverns" as the game called them), Miliband said: "I think I may have you know," before jokingly describing it as a "pretty important moment".

The Labour leader has been branded a geek by some, including Jeremy Paxman during their one-to-one interview in March, and Lloyd brings that up here as well, pointing out "geek" is not the derogatory term it once was.

He then tests the Labour leader's geek credentials, asking whether he has ever played Dungeons And Dragons, been a member of a chess club or spotted a train. Miliband said no to each, and no to the follow-up questions about other things like chopping wood with an axe, downing a pint or mooning someone. In response to the last question, he responded with: "That's David Cameron you're thinking of."

The refreshingly relaxed and genuine interview also saw Miliband talk about his love of baseball, take phone calls from cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott, snooker legend Willie Thorne and the owner of his local Indian restaurant, and reveal he does not own a Blue Peter badge, despite reports to the contrary.

Eventually – after some talk of Blue Peter – talk turned to policy, his brother and the attacks on his personality and character, with Miliband saying he endures the harsh words people have for him due to an "inner belief".

The full interview can be watched below...