BBC presenter Andrew Neil was told he sounds “like a lady” by a Tory MP during a bizarre interview this afternoon.
Technical gremlins meant Plymouth Moor View MP Johnny Mercer could hear more than one voice through his earpiece as he was interviewed down the line on the Daily Politics.
After Neil asked what kind of voice it was, Mercer replied with a deadpan look to the camera: "Well, you sound like a lady, actually."
The Daily Politics presenter didn’t miss a beat with his reply, saying: "Well the operation's only half way finished, so it'll probably get better as we go on."
Mercer was on the show to discuss his concerns over the Government’s planned cuts to Personal Independence Payments.
But the interview had to be abandoned after Mercer said he could hear “three other different voices” as well as Neil's through his ear piece.
Mercer is one of a growing number of Tory MPs who have spoken out against the proposed cuts, which could cost 370,000 vulnerable and disabled people £3,500 a year in payments.
With the Government majority of just 12 it would only take a small number of MPs committed to voting against the cuts to stop the policy from coming into law.
Downing Street indicated today there could be room for maneuver on the issue, with the Prime Minister’s Official Spokeswoman claiming the cuts are a “proposal”.