IN two awkward car crash interviews this morning the culture secretary refused to speak about any of her recent conversations with the Prime Minister as well as mixing up MPs' names.

Nadine Dorries has spoken out as being one of Boris Johnson's most loyal defenders since she was appointed a cabinet member in September.

Now, amid probing from BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt, she was reluctant to give anything away from her conversations with the PM.

BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt asked her if she had spoken to the Prime Minister in the past 24 hours.

After a brief pause, a smiling Ms Dorries replied: "Why? Why are you asking me that question?"

Stayt replied: "I'd like to know."

Dorries simply said: "We've communicated."

During the exchange, Stayt said he was "really confused", asking Ms Dorries if his question was a "difficult" one.

Appearing perplexed, Stayt went on to say: "I'm really confused. Is that a difficult question? I'm just asking if you've spoken to the Prime Minister, in the last 24 hours."

To which she retorted: "I'm not going to tell you the extent of my communications with the Prime Minister.

"I mean, I've answered your question. We have communicated. What is your next question?"

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Stayt went on to ask what Mr Johnson had communicated to her, but Ms Dorries declined to go into detail.

When Stayt asked about the PM's mood, Dorries described it as "very positive, extremely positive".

She added: "What I would say is that the Prime Minister, when he appeared for the (19)22 Committee last week, promised to change and I think anybody who picks up a newspaper or reads a newspaper, sees a television news bulletin, can see that a huge amount of change is under way at present, particularly in No 10."

In another grilling from the media this morning, she mixed up Martin Vickers, the MP for Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire and Matt Vickers, the MP for Stockton South.

On BBC Radio 4, Dorries was responding to comments made about the PM by Conservative MPs Nick Gibb and Aaron Bell, who have both submitted letters of no confidence.

She said their letters were “disappointing” but said those in “marginal seats” knew Mr Johnson had won them the election.

She mixed up the two MPs while questioned about the 2019 intake on Red Wall MPs.

Viewers called the interview "excruciating" praising the presenter for handling it well.

One tweeted: “Not so much a car crash interview with Nadine Dorres on #BBCBreakfast but a truck crash, involving another truck.

"That's actually a petrol tanker, and the first truck contains explosives, and the crash is on a suspension bridge, which spans across a nuclear reactor facility

Another wrote: “Brilliant from Charlie Stayt. Nadine Dorries has all the swagger of a Year 7 student answering a teacher back until they realise said teacher will now ring her Mum. Embarrassing again from this government.”

A third added: “This is excruciating.”

It comes as Boris Johnson has faced an onslaught of of negative stories were being circulated by his political foes.

And Mr Johnson’s allies are livid the PM’s wife is being targeted when she cannot speak out herself, with one minister accusing critics of playing “the wife not the ball.”

One supportive MP said: “attacking the PM is fair enough, but going for his family is a new low.”

Yesterday, a fifth No10 aide quit – boxer Elena Narozanski – as the PM attempted to overhaul his faltering political machine in the wake of the party gate scandal.

Her departure followed an unprecedented clear out of Mr Johnson’s inner circle – some forced out but others quitting in fury at the direction of travel.

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