Beard shave after 14 years to mark new government

Martyn Sloman had booked an appointment weeks in advance as he was "that confident"

A Labour Party agent has had his "George Clooney moment" after shaving off a beard he grew as a political protest 14 years ago.

Martyn Sloman, from Sharrington, near Holt, Norfolk, started growing his beard after the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition was formed in 2010.

Now freshly shaven, he said he did not recognise himself when he looked in the mirror on Tuesday morning.

Mr Sloman said the act was a promise to friends rather than a "great ideological statement or gesture".

He told them he would grow a beard for the first time after feeling "depressed" about the coalition.

"You should make promises only if you intend to keep them, so I said I would shave it off as soon as there was a Labour government in power," he said.

Talking to BBC Radio Norfolk on Thursday at the North Norfolk constituency count in North Walsham, he said he had made the appointment nearly a month ago because he was "that confident".

Martyn Sloman said none of his grandchildren had seen him freshly shaven before

It was shaved off on Monday in Fakenham.

"People say I have a strong resemblance to George Clooney despite the fact I am 5ft 6in and slightly overweight... The promise has been made and kept and, as you can expect, I am a happy man these days."

He said none of his grandchildren had seen him without a beard before, but he would grow it again during the Keir Starmer years.

"I'm quite content to let it grow again... I kept the promise and I've had my George Clooney moment," he said.