SENIOR Tories gathering in Bournemouth have spoken of their secret passion for pop music but North Wiltshire MP James Gray dismissed the admissions as 'nonsense' and said his constituents should judge him on his work, not his taste in music.

In a move to convince electors they are human like the rest of us, top Tories were filmed talking about their love of pop music and their first kiss and the results were screened at the party conference this week.

Defence spokesman Nicholas Soames claimed he is a big fan of Dido, while party co-chairman Liam Fox said he listens to The Scissor Sisters. Deputy leader and Devizes MP Michael Ancram professed an admiration for ageing rocker Meatloaf.

But Mr Gray dismissed the admissions as "a lot of nonsense" and said his fellow Tories should be concentrating instead on what they would do in power.

Mr Gray said: "The people of North Wiltshire judge me on the contact they have with me, and that's what actually counts. If I were romantic, would that make me a better MP? I don't think so.

"We ought to be concentrating on what we'd do if we were in power, not on where we had our first kiss.

"I don't want to sound pompous, but I'm not keen on being in the

private eye.

"I am open about where I live and what I do I do my shopping in Safeway like everyone else, but I don't think people are really interested in what music I listen to."

Most of the shadow cabinet refused to say who the person they first kissed was, although party leader Michael Howard said it had happened at the age of ten.

Mr Soames said: "I made a frightful hash of it and it may have scarred me for life."

The Tories have also ditched traditional debates based around Whitehall departments in favour of thematic topics such as freedom from fear, which includes pensions, crime and long-term care.

Hoping to get more young people beamed on the conference screens, through a series of interviews filmed around Britain, they also unveiled their conference set to the strains of remixed Elvis hit A Little Less Conversation (A Little More Action).

Mr Gray, who is married, lives in Slaughterford and is the shadow minister for rural affairs, said he had not been approached to share his own hobbies and passions.

"It's probably just the senior lot they've asked," he said.

"Maybe I'm too junior. Or maybe I'm not interesting enough or maybe I'm human enough already."

Asked by the Gazette whether he classed himself as a 'romantic' man, he said he did not know what romantic meant, but that he did make his wife the odd cup of tea.

Devizes MP Michael Ancram surprised some people this week when he revealed he was a big fan of the singer Meatloaf.

Mr Ancram enjoys singing folk music and playing the guitar but he said that he likes a diverse range of music.

He said: "Although I play folk music I like to listen to other music. My favourite Meatloaf song is I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)."