Schools minister Nick Gibb refuses to answer maths questions

On ITV’s Good Morning Britain, while talking about the policy which relates to tougher multiplication tests for eight and nine-year-olds, Mr Gibb was asked what eight times nine is but declined to answer.

He said: “I’m not going to get into this, I’ve learned through bitter experience never to answer these kinds of questions on live television.

“I’m very tempted to but I’m not going to.”

Questioned why primary age children will be expected to do something he was refusing to, Mr Gibb stated: “No eight-year-old or nine-year-old would be doing it on live television, and the results of the check won’t affect those children.”

Mr Gibb stuck to his refusal later on too when he was quizzed on Sky News about his times tables.