Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden was told “it’s all over” for the Tories as he was skewered on Sky News.
The senior cabinet minister was shown his party’s grim polling numbers by presenter Trevor Phillips.
They demonstrated the huge challenge the Conservatives face with the general election just months away.
Showing Dowden a graph of how the polls have gone in the last six months, Phillips told him: “We like facts on the this programme and the overwhelming fact for you is that the polls aren’t moving.
“You made two big tax cuts - one in the autumn and one recently. Have a look at the electoral - zilch.
“Electorally, it is actually all over for you guys, isn’t it? The country has stopped listening to the Conservatives.”
But Dowden insisted that the Tories could still turn it around.
He said: “These polls still, to a certain extent, are indications of people’s frustrations, especially after being in power for 14 years.
“As we get into an actual election campaign, we move from a referendum on the government to a choice and I’m confident, as people face that choice you ... you will see those numbers narrowing, I’m totally convinced of that.”