Meet Torsten Bell, the new MP for Swansea West

Torsten Bell likes it strong.

"There's nothing worse than insipid tea" he tells me while making us a cuppa in his kitchen. "The bag must not be removed."

We also had a good discussion on the merits of air fryers. They play a bigger role in Torsten's life right now than you might think.

His latest book, Great Britain? How We Get Our Future Back is competing against the latest air fryer cookbook for public attention.

Any publisher will tell you, it's the fryer that wins. I figure this is the not the kind of conversation the new Swansea West MP is used to having.

Maybe his old bosses, like former Chancellor Alistair Darling or Ed Miliband, had strong views on airfryed salmon skewers, but I somehow doubt it.

Torsten is a thinker, or to use a Westminster term a, "policy wonk."Until recently he was head of the Resolution Foundation think tank.

He's been Labour's Director of Policy and how he's an MP, finding his way around Uplands and Hafod in his new constituency.

"You're used to talking about economic policy" I say, "but what about dealing with potholes and dog fouling?"

He jumps on the chance to explain why potholes are important: "Politics is about delivering for people, and potholes, which people might joke about, are real things."

This year, in its annual Left Powerlist the Newstatesman put him at number 9, beating Tony Blair (12), his old boss Ed Miliband (15) and the Archbishop of Canterbury (27).

He's not even in the cabinet - but he's tipped to be, one day. So, what's it like having people say such things about you?

"Well it's nicer than people saying this person is useless" he says.

He has a sense of mission about him, and a good sense of humour, just make sure his tea isn't weak.

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