TORY candidate for North Wiltshire James Gray was nonplussed when challenged in a radio interview about trust and the use of foodbanks.

BBC Wiltshire reporter Dan O’Brien brought up the subjects of rural poverty and how the Conservatives would improve social mobility.

He asked: "Why should constituents trust your party to make this situation better when it comes to social mobility?"

The MP struggled to make sense of the question and replied: "What? I have no idea what your question means. I have no idea what you're talking about."

The reporter was in Malmesbury to interview the constituency's four general election candidates. Mr Gray did not take part in the live broadcast because he “does not believe hustings like these achieve anything.”

He was questioned instead in a pre-recorded interview.

He is competing against Liberal Democrat Brian Mathew, Jon Fisher of Labour and Green Bonnie Jackson for the constituency he represented for two decades.