By Kate Nicholson
Nick Ferrari slammed Jonathan Reynolds live on air this morning as it emerged the cabinet minister did not know an essential fact behind his own announcement.
The business and trade secretary was speaking to the media today to promote the government鈥檚 new review into parental leave, along with maternity and paternity pay.
But Reynolds鈥 interview on LBC started to fall apart as soon as presenter Ferrari drilled down on the details.
The host asked: 鈥淗ow much do you get a week [if you get statutory paternity pay]?鈥
Reynolds said: 鈥淣ick, my youngest is 10, so I鈥檓 not really sure what the statutory is anymore.鈥
Ferrari hit back: 鈥淒o you not think you should know what the statutory leave in this country is, if this a very important piece of work as you said right at the top.
鈥淢r Reynolds, shouldn鈥檛 you know what it is?鈥
The minister began: 鈥淚 should, to be honest with you Nick, I must apologise to you 鈥撯
Ferrari cut in: 鈥濃 Apologise to the listeners!鈥
Reynolds continued: 鈥淚t is quite a while since my youngest was born.鈥
Ferrari replied: 鈥淵es but you are launching this initiative today aren鈥檛 you, you鈥檙e talking about how you want to look at the possibility of extended parental leave and you don鈥檛 have a clue as to what we鈥檙e currently paying.鈥
After a little more back and forth Ferrari brought their painful exchange to a close, by finally pointing out statutory paternity leave is 拢187.18 a week.
Reynolds just replied: 鈥淲hen I come on your show, I never try and con you if you catch me out…鈥
The UK offers new dads two weeks on less than half the minimum wage 鈥 and nothing for self-employed fathers.
It has subsequently been described as the least generous paternity offer in Europe.