The National:

“LOTS of goals were scored and it was a one-all draw.”

That’s the quote which has seen the Tory Illegal Immigration Minister roundly mocked after a car crash interview saw him questioned on his claims to be a sports fan.

Michael Tomlinson, who was given the immigration role in Rishi Sunak’s government after Robert Jenrik resigned over the Rwanda bill, had been appearing on Sky News when he made the gaffe.

The MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole was asked questions probing whether he is a man of the people, such as what TV series he liked to watch.

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“I watch very little is the honest and straightforward answer,” he said. “If you ask my family, they’ll say I’m a little bit focused on what I’m doing and probably don’t have enough time to watch box sets.

“I’m not sure I could even tell you the last box set that I watched, but I do enjoy watching sport. If you want to ask me about cricket or sport, then please do.”

Sky news presenter Kay Burley then asked: “Who is your football team?”

Tomlinson said he did not have a specific team, though he had “been to Bournemouth, been to various other grounds”.

He then added that his team is the non-league Wimborne Town Football Club.

Asked for their last result, he said: “I couldn’t tell you that. The last result that I was there, it was very exciting, lots of goals were scored and it was a one-all draw.”

According to Google, Wimborne Town’s last final result was a 4-1 win over Exmouth, a match which had what a football fan might actually consider a lot of goals.

SNP Westminster group leader Stephen Flynn posted mocking the Tory minister.

“All the footballs were kicked and people were merry. It was just jolly good fun,” the MP quipped.

“Ah yes the joys of those footballers footballing … he's never been near a game in his life that wasn't a PR photo op,” a second user wrote.

“I bet he knew the result of Etons last polo match,” another joked, while a fourth added: “Clearly a big fan of sportsball.”

But then others raised a more pertinent point.

If you have the UK Government’s Illegal Immigration Minister answering your questions, and the Safety of Rwanda Bill over which he has responsibility is currently tearing the Tory Party apart, would you ask him about football and his taste in TV shows?

“Is there any reason that the minister for illegal immigration, who is on the news to be grilled about the Rwanda bill, should be having a trifling chat about box sets and football, which he knows nothing about? Were they both filling time?” one social media user asked.

“Will Kay Burley be asking their favourite cheese next?” another added.

“Seriously? Journalism is dead in this country,” a third wrote.