Theresa May looked uncomfortable as she was asked what she did to help secure Nelson Mandela's release under apartheid.
The Prime Minister visited the cell where the former leader of the ANC was imprisoned for 18 years but admitted she did nothing to help campaign for his release.
Asked by Channel Four News's Michael Crick what she did personally to end the apartheid regime, the PM replied: “I think you know full well that I didn’t go on protests Michael."
Despite being a councillor in the 1980s and politically active in the 1970s and 1980s, Mrs May could not say that she had done anything to help the campaign.
During that time Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was arrested for protesting against apartheid.
Thousands of people campaigned for Mandela's release while still more boycotted goods from South Africa to protest the racist regime.
But Margaret Thatcher, who was PM at the time, labelled Mandela and the ANC "terrorists".
Her Government refused to impose sanctions and banned protests outside the South African embassy in London.
While the Tory youth were calling for Mandela, who would go on to lead South Africa and win the Nobel peace prize, to be hung.
Channel Four’s Michael Crick initially asked the UK Prime Minister if she would feel guilty going to Robben island having done "nothing" to help his release.
Mrs May instead paid tribute to the Mr Mandela talking of his "immense statesmanship".
But she refused to say whether she had agreed with Mrs Thatcher at the time that Mandela and the ANC leadership were "terrorists".
Mr Crick asked the Prime Minister: “Mrs May, you’re about to visit Robben Island – you were active in politics in the 70s and 80s: what did you do to help release Nelson Mandela?”
May replied: “Well I think what is important is what the United Kingdom did…”
Crick quickly intervened, asking: “No, what did you do? Did you go on protests? Did you get arrested outside the embassy? Did you boycott South African goods? Did you do anything?”
May responded stating: “I think you know full well that I didn’t go on protests. Michael.
“But what is important is the work that the United Kingdom government did to ensure that it was able to give support where that support was needed…”
Crick interrupted, asking: “But hang on a moment, at that stage Margaret Thatcher thought Nelson Mandela was a terrorist!
"Were you a loyal Conservative Party member? Did you think the same thing?”
She replied: “What was important was the support the UK government was giving at the time.
"Often support behind the scenes, but in other ways too. To ensure that we saw the result that we did in relation to the ending of apartheid here in South Africa.”
Crick then asked: “A government led by a woman who thought Nelson Mandela was a terrorist.
“Now you’re going to be going to Robben Island – are you going to be feeling guilty that, at the time Nelson Mandela was on Robben Island, you, Theresa May, did nothing to help his release? You personally?”
"What I will be feeling, I think, when I go to Robben island is to recognise the immense statesmanship of a man who spent so many years incarcerated and when he came out of that incarceration had that breadth of vision and that calm approach that has enabled South Africa to be built into the country that it is today."