LBC host's painful dig after Labour minister's embarrassing blunder on live radio

A Treasury minister was tied in knots in a live radio interview this morning after struggling to answer questions on a Government-backed project.

who was on LBC radio to tout a £1billion funding package for transport, became entangled in a series of embarrassing blunders when she was grilled on , a major infrastructure project which has today been handed £590million.

The economic secretary was unable to give details of the precise location of the crossing or the total cost of the project. And she also mistakenly referred to the existing crossing being the "Dartmouth tunnel", apparently confusing the town with Dartford.

Host Nick Ferrari became increasingly frustrated over the interview, and after repeated sighs, eventually asked her: "Is there much point continuing this conversation?"

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The interview began to go wrong as Ms Reynolds spoke about the Lower Thames Crossing, where she said the "congestion around the Dartmouth tunnel is a real problem". Ferrari interjected to correct her: "Dartford Tunnel, I think." The minister replied: "I meant Dartford, excuse me, I had a very early morning."

After the blunder, Ferrari challenged Ms Reynolds on what she knew about the project. Asked about the proposed new crossing start and end point, she said: "You'll forgive me, I can't recall the exact landing zone."

She explained what the Lower Thames Crossing was and said it would help lorries who are coming from the Midlands and the North to key ports in the south east. Ferrari hit back: "It's almost like you were reading from a piece of paper there, isn't it? You don't actually know where it takes off from or where it lands, do you?"

When she could not say, he said: "Let me tell you, it's Gravesend in Kent and Tilbury in Essex."

Pressed on the cost, she said "it's going to cost quite a lot of money", suggesting it would be "several billion pounds".

Ferrari said: "How many? You don't know that either do you actually? I don't mean to be rude to you personally. Is there much point continuing this conversation, because you don’t know where a bridge starts, you don’t know where it ends and you don’t know how much it costs? Is there any point continuing?

"What does this say about the economic stewardship of this country that someone in your position of importance, you don't know where a bridge starts, you don't know where it ends, and you don't know much it costs."

Ms Reynolds said: "I'm here to talk about the the broader infrastructure plan as well that we will be launching later this week."

The tense interview comes ahead of the Government's 10-year infrastructure strategy, which is expected to be published this week. It follows a record £15.6bn investment in major transport projects in the North and Midlands announced in Rachel Reeves's Spending Review.

The £590m for the Lower Thames Crossing, which will help cut traffic at Dartford, is part of a £1bn pledge to renew broken bridges, roads and tunnels. The new structures fund will also invest in repairing bridges, flyovers, tunnels and other transport infrastructure such as roads.

The Treasury said approximately 3,000 bridges are currently unable to support the heaviest vehicles, while the number of bridge collapses has also risen.

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