BORIS Johnson stunned viewers watching a campaign video by putting milk in his cup of tea BEFORE removing the bag.
He instantly divided voters with the bold act, and sparked a passionate debate on the age-old British topic of how to make a cup of tea.
He even responded to a shocked voter explaining that is how he prefers to have his tea
The illuminating technique came in a four-minute clip from the Conservative Party HQ, as he shared some details about life as PM.
He took viewers through his love of fish and chips, how he starts his day (dog walking), why we are having an election and his shock at not being able to get a Thai curry delivered to number 10 over security concerns.
Mr Johnson wandered into the kitchen as he revealed he had cooked steak the night before and listened to the Rolling Stones, and started to make a cup of tea.
It was here he split the nation.He filled a cup with boiling water and a tea bag and seconds later added a splash of milk, before walking out into the office with the cuppa, without removing the bag.
Viewers at once took to Twitter to air their thoughts on when milk should be added to a cup of tea.
One person wrote: “Am I the only one who is upset he left the tea bag in the mug? I was hoping it would end with ‘thank you, Prime Minister. *pause* Err, Boris? You forgot the tea bag. Cripes.”
Another said: “They forget to tell Boris that when you make a cup of tea you need to take the tea bag out.”
Others took it rather badly, with one person adding: “Did Boris just make a cup of tea with cold water? And did he leave the tea bag in? He’s lost my vote.”
But others saw the fun in the video, writing: “Loved this! And you didn’t spill your tea!”
And “this guy is a legend”, “what a refreshing and motivational part political broadcast” and everyone has a different way of making a cuppa”.
His technique was defended by some, with one person posting: “To be fair I do make tea like Boris and sometimes leave a tea bag in on the train.”
Mr Johnson himself waded in to the debate, replying to a fan who suggested he take the bag out before the milk goes in.
He wrote on Facebook: “Yes that is really how I make my tea. It lets it brew and makes it stronger. Boris.”
When should you add milk?
This debate has raged on across Britain for decades – and there are STILL multiple theories aboutwhen the best time is to add the milk.
Yorkshire Tea’s buyer, Suzy, explained why it’s best to add the milk AFTER brewing.
She said: To get the best infusion possible, black tea really needs freshly boiled water (as close to 100C as possible).
“When you put milk into infusing tea you lower the temperature of the water so a proper infusion cant take place.
“To get the best of your brew in a mug, always make the tea first to your taste and strength and the milk after.
Despite this,scientists from Loughborough University believe that you should always add milk BEFORE the tea.
Research revealed that pouring cold milk into your teaming mug causes the fluid to heat unevenly and clump together.
The national discussion on when to add milk to a cup of tea has been going on for decades.
It is such an important point for many Brits that YouGov settled it once and for all by polling the country.
And the majority of the UK went against Mr Johnson’s method, voting that milk should be added in last.
But apparently the reason we add milk to tea has nothing to do with the taste, and was all to do with keeping the china safe when Brits first begun drinking the hot brew.
Speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival, a tea buyer from Taylors of Harrogate explained that it was all to do with preventing the cup from cracking under the heat.
Simon Hill said: “When tea was first imported to the UK in the 18th Century lots of people couldnt afford the fine bone china services.
“The cups available couldnt withstand the heat of the boiling water and would shatter, so milk was added first.”
He showcased his tea pouring skills while visiting a hospital last week
