Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was reunited with James McAlpine, a 23-year-old Oxford Brookes University student dubbed the "Tall Tory", at a rally in central London on Tuesday, where she delivered a speech on defence. Standing at 7ft 2in, Mr McAlpine is one of the tallest people in Britain and towered over the 5ft 4in party leader, who he has described as his "heroine". The light-hearted meeting drew attention alongside the substance of her address.

Mr McAlpine first rose to prominence at last year's Conservative Party conference in Manchester, when Mrs Badenoch sought him out after her leader's speech to thank him for being the party's "tallest member". A social media figure known for attending high-society events such as the Cheltenham Festival, he has spoken about the bullying he has faced over his height. At the London rally, held as Sir Keir Starmer attended the Nato summit in Ankara, Mrs Badenoch attacked the Prime Minister's £15billion defence plan and accused him of leaving a £5billion "black hole" in the Defence Investment Plan.