Despite living in a £2 million townhouse in north London with their two young sons, it would seem like Ed and Justine Miliband don’t spend much family time in their kitchen – mainly because they couldn’t all fit in it.

On Tuesday night we were given a short insight into the family life of the Labour leader when BBC deputy political editor James Landale interviewed the couple. As they stood resting against their plain 80s-style white kitchen units drinking tea from odd chunky mugs, it certainly didn’t look like the impressive, contemporary kitchen we were expecting to see.

Devoid of colour apart from a plastic lime green washing basket and a pile of clutter in the corner, there was little style, character or warmth to a room which usually functions as the hub of the family home.

Work surfaces were free from any sign of cooking appliances – and as for a table, it would have to be hung from the ceiling if you wanted to seat a family of four in the tiny room.

Whether this is actually a utility room that sometimes serves as a second kitchen or an annexe for the kids’ nanny hasn’t been confirmed, but it was certainly peculiar to see Ed making out he had such a understated kitchen by comparison with the rest of his multi-million pound house.

The Daily Mail weighed in, comparing the kitchen to that of a Communist era tower block.

Still, all is not lost for Ed as some people are ready to rise to his defence - and that of his kitchen - as a result of the criticism.

What do you think of Ed Miliband’s kitchen? Tell us in the Comments section below.