Boris Johnson appears to forget son’s age when asked during visit to Northern Ireland

Johnson said his son was beginning to ‘vocalise’ and ‘goes out like a light’ when put to bed but seemed to forget how old he was in conversation with Northern Ireland first minister Arlene Foster and deputy Michelle O’Neill.

When asked how young Wilfred was getting on during a photo shoot at Hillsborough Castle, Johnson said: ‘He is getting to the stage where he is starting to vocalise when he wants us.’

Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis intervened to ask whether Johnson and his fiancée Carrie Symonds were suffering from sleep deprivation.

But Johnson told him the young bub ‘goes out like a light’, allowing the couple decent night’s sleep.

O’Neill then quizzed the prime minister on how old his son is, to which he replied in an uncertain tone: ‘Just between three and four months… I wouldn’t like to say exactly.’

‘That is a man’s answer,’ the first minister replied,

Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, named after grandfathers and the doctors who treated the prime minister for coronavirus, was born on April 29, making him four months old at the end of August.

Johnson flew to Belfast on Thursday to meet Stormont leaders to shore up their support for the Union, which has come under pressure recently because of Scottish demands for a second independence referendum which could break-up the United Kingdom.

Consecutive polls have shown support for a second vote and the SNP in next year’s general elections where Nicola Sturgeon, who remains 100 points ahead of Boris Johnson in Scottish voters’ approval ratings, is expected to win a landslide victory in next year’s Holyrood vote.

Johnson will also discuss celebrations for the centenary of Northern Ireland’s creation next year and will meet with the Republic of Ireland’s new Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, to discuss the progress of Brexit talks.