General election: Tory MP Andrew Mitchell can’t quote minimum wage in bumbling interview

Former chief whip made two apparent guesses before being told the correct figure

A Conservative MP repeatedly failed to quote the minimum wage in a bumbling interview, apparently making two guesses before being told the correct figure.

In an interview on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show, Andrew Mitchell, the candidate for Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, suggested the minimum wage for people over the age of 25 was £6 an hour.

The former chief whip then made a second guess, asking if it was £8 an hour.

The Government's national minimum wage is £7.50 an hour.

Questioned by Ms Derbyshire in her "van share" series on what he thought the minimum wage was, Mr Mitchell avoided the question and said: "We hope it will be up to £9."

Pushed further, he said: "It's less than £9."

Ms Derbyshire said: "Correct. What is it?"

Appearing to make a guess, Mr Mitchell said: "It's err, about £6."

Giving him a stern look, Ms Mitchell told him: "That is way out."

"There must be people in your constituency who are on the minimum wage," she added.

After being asked if he wanted to know the figure, Mr Mitchell said: "What is it, £8?"

Later in the interview, Mr Mitchell was unable to answer a questions about how many council homes the Conservatives built last year (6,800) or how many people were on the housing waiting list (1.2 million).

But he did admit to owning three properties.