'Can I start again?' SNP MSP is ridiculed after trying to re-do LIVE interview when she says 'twenty thousand and twelve' for the year 2012

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A member of the Scottish Parliament was left red-faced after asking if she could restart an interview - only to be told she was live on air. 

In scenes reminiscent of spoof Whitehall comedy The Thick Of It, Scottish cabinet secretary for education Angela Constance embarrassingly stumbled on her words during an appearance on the BBC's Sunday Politics. 

'We have to remember that in twenty thousand and twelve… sorry, 2012, sorry are we able to do that again?' the 45-year-old MSP for Almond Valley said. 'I just said twenty thousand and twelve.'

Scottish cabinet secretary for education Angela Constance embarrassingly stumbled on her words during an appearance on the BBC's Sunday Politics

With schools emerging as a major theme at the Scottish Labour conference, it was only natural for Ms Constance to want to hog the limelight. 

However, her appearance will clearly be remembered for all the wrongs reasons. 

It was up to the programme's presenter Gordon Brewer to gently remind her that the show was going out live: 'Alright, 2012. We are live, by the way.'

The shock was clearly evident on Ms Constance's face when she realised her awkward error. 

It was up to the programme's presenter Gordon Brewer to gently remind Ms Constance that the show was going out live: 'Alright, 2012. We are live, by the way'

The shock was clearly evident on Ms Constance's face when she realised her awkward error

Orkney Conservatives tweeted to say that the interview was a 'car crash'

One angry viewer said Ms Constance 'should be sacked' for her 'incompetence' 

Another irate viewers branded Ms Constance as 'absolute disgrace' following her embarrassing blunder 

The clanger didn't go down too well with viewers with some calling the interview a 'car crash'. 

One irate watcher called for her to be 'sacked' for 'incompetence' while another described her as 'an absolute disgrace'. 

Another viewer questioned whether Ms Constance had 'a hangover'.   

However, Ms Constance appeared keen to prove she was ever the professional and quickly glossed over the mistake, telling viewers she thought the chat was pre-recorded and set to be aired later in the day. 

'Oh right, OK, forgive me. I thought it was a pre-record, forgive me,' she said.  

The clip of the gaffe, as well as the shot of the education secretary's jaw-dropping expression after being told of her mishap, quickly began doing the rounds on social media. 

Ms Constance decided not to comment on the incident on her Twitter page - one of her last posts being a photograph of herself dressed up in a witch's fancy dress costume for Halloween. 

However, Ms Constance appeared keen to prove she was ever the professional and quickly glossed over the mistake, telling viewers she thought the chat was pre-recorded and set to be aired later in the day

Viewers were keen to offer up advice telling Ms Constance to 'always check' if the interview is going out live 

Another audience member questioned if the Scottish MP had 'got a hangover'