New Zealand Prime Minister John Key refuses to deny calling David Beckham "thick"

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has refused to deny that he described Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder "thick as bat shit".

Key is alleged to have made the comments during a recent trip to a school in Auckland, where he was discussing the former England captain in a private conversation.

"That is someone that thinks they have overheard a conversation I have had," Key said on breakfast television. "I am not going to engage in that because otherwise I am engaging in every conversation that someone thinks I have."

When the presenter asked if the politician could clarify that he didn't call Beckham "thick", Key replied: "No, what I am saying is that somebody has overheard a personal conversation and that's their recollection of it. I am just not going to engage in discussions about that. That's their view."

The 37-year-old has played for LA Galaxy since 2007.