Philosophy Now Forum

Who tastes of toffee and ink? Who’s like Lucozade – and who’s the inside of a frankfurter? James Wannerton from Blackpool has a rare condition called lexical-gustatory synaesthesia, which means he can taste words and sounds. For the General Election, he has teamed up with artist Sam Cornwell to show how each political leader tastes. ‘Liberal Democrats are exactly like rubber bands, with a drizzle of yoghurt,’ explained Wannerton, whose experiences are involuntary and in no way reflect his political allegiances. ‘I realise I’m not eating this stuff,’ he said. ‘But it feels like it. I can feel the texture. Every sound, every word, one taste after another. It’s like eating all day, even when I dream.’