As chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne has faced many a tough question relating to figures but that did not stop him dodging a simple multiplication put to him by a seven-year-old. Sam Raddings asked Osborne what seven times eight equals but the chancellor refused to answer.

“I’ve made it a rule in life not to answer a load of maths questions,” he said. Luckily, Sam, who was part of a child panel interviewing Osborne on Sky News, stepped in to point out that the answer was 56. Osborne’s refusal came just after he had told Sam in response to a question on whether he was good at maths: “Well, I did maths A-level so I have been tested at school.”

His music knowledge was also found to be wanting when he was asked if he preferred Kendrick Lamar or J Cole. “Oh God, I’m going to pass on that one,” he said, laughing. He added: “Pharrell Williams, I love his songs, they’re kind of uplifting.”

Osborne was more forthcoming when asked whether MPs set a good example by shouting and calling each other names in the Commons. “I’d much rather have a House of Commons, a parliament, which is lively and people feel passionately about things than a really quiet place,” he said.

And in an admission that even Ed Balls would probably have found difficult to prise out of him, in response to a question about his biggest regret since entering government, Osborne said: “Actually I look back and think there’s even more we could have done to fix some of the problems, some of the economic problems and I want to go on therefore taking decisions that will help create jobs for you and your families and make sure the country’s more prosperous. So, if anything, it’s like I wish we’d done even more but that’s all right because we’re doing more now.”