Boris Johnson thinks a tin of economy supermarket baked beans costs £1.49

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

Find out moreClose

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Boris Johnson is facing derision after he overestimated the price of a tin of baked beans by a factor of six.

Asked to name the price of a tin of economy supermarket baked beans on LBC Radio this morning the Mayor of London said they would retail at around £1.49.

Standard versions of the question tend to refer to the price of a pint of milk or loaf of bread.

More expensive versions of the humble baked bean are available. Exclusive department store Fortnum and Mason retails a tub of sundried tomato and English mustard fresh baked beans for £3.95, made by the company Proper Beans.

One Twitter use, @SunshineDebb, tweeted “Just goes to show how totally out of touch some of these people are” while @craigoneill73 said “possibly in the food hall at Harrods, not sure Tescos would match that price”.

Others expressed sympathy for the Mayor, however. @scott7alexander said “I have no idea what they cost either” while @LascellesH said it was “embarrassing [that] people expect the Mayor of London to spend his time memorising the price of supermarket products”.

Mr Johnson was elected as an MP in West London in last week’s election, a job the Old Etonian will do in addition to remaining as Mayor of London.

David Cameron announced earlier this week that his former Oxford contemporary would also attend political cabinet meetings while serving as Mayor of London.