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Jamie Mackay (L) and Prime Minister John Key (R) on the Farming Show - Source: farmingshow.com -
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Prime Minister John Key has been forced to defend his quip over a radio-host's "gay" red jumper this afternoon.
The Prime Minister appeared on RadioSport's Farming Show on Friday and teased host Jamie Mackay for wearing a red jumper instead of blue, the colour of the National Party.
Key joked: "You're going to be nervous when you're lining up on those par threes aren't you. You're munted mate, you're never gonna make it, you've got that gay red top on there."
He told press today "gay" was "just a slang term" used by young people and found in the Oxford dictionary.
"If someone was offended by it then I apologise but it's not exactly like a term you don't hear everywhere".
Key said he was simply giving Mackay a "hard time" because his jumper was red and "our colour is blue you know".
"I voted for gay marriage, I'm hardly homophobic. I led the charge on it."
GayNZ.com have hit back against the comment saying: "His critics may call him 'John Gay' for his support for marriage equality, but the Prime Minister has been anything but gay-friendly with a "gay red top" crack at the host of a radio show."
Key's comment follows claims that he made a scathing comment about superstar footballer David Beckham's brain power.
Key reportedly told a group of students at Dunedin's St Hilda's Collegiate on Friday that Beckham, 37, was as "thick as batsh**".
It is claimed he came to that conclusion after his son Max spent 45 minutes with Beckham during the star's visit to New Zealand in 2008.