The former Conservative cabinet minister, 57, reportedly ‘stunned’ diners when he leant in for a public Christmas smooch with Dr Lola Salem, 32, at fish restaurant J Sheekey last night.

The fancy eaterie is favourite of celebrities including the Beckhams, Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Jude Law, Kate Moss and Bradley Cooper.

The politician, who became editor of The Spectator in October, was first spotted with Dr Salem in July when the couple sheltered under an umbrella as they arrived at a London party organised by the current affairs magazine.

READ MORE: Man and woman arrested after reports of hare coursing

Mr Gove was married to newspaper columnist Sarah Vine for 21 years but the couple divorced in 2022.

In a joint statement following their split, Mr Gove and Ms Vine said they remained “close friends.”

Specialising in opera, Dr Salem is a lecturer in French at Wadham College as well as tutoring music at Oriel College.

According to her profile on the Oriel website, her research concerns “opera, performers, and other material conditions related to creativity during the long seventeenth century.”

She is a trained singer and used to be an art critic for French newspaper the IO Gazette, as well as writing for The Critic magazine.

Mr Gove stepped down from parliament at the General Election, after saying it was time for a “new generation” to lead.