TV personality Carol Vorderman has accused government equalities ministers of ignoring the needs of menopausal women.

Carol, who grew up in Rhyl and Prestatyn, added that she has been blocked on Twitter by the Minister for Women, Maria Caulfield, after accusing her of not showing up for a select committee examining the menopause.

Former Countdown star Vorderman posted a screenshot on Twitter indicating she had been blocked by the Government minister, and wrote: “Maria, show some respect & RESIGN.”

When challenged by another Twitter user about blocking Vorderman, Ms Caulfield replied: “She hasn’t pointed out facts. I couldn’t attend yesterday as I was seeing women campaigners against painful hysteroscopy which had been in the diary for months. I have given alternative dates to the committee and they are the facts.”

The committee said it had invited Ms Caulfield to appear before members to discuss the Government’s plans for action on menopause in the workplace “but the Minister refused the invitation”.

The government considers menopause a middle-class issue according to Vorderman, who also read painful stories from women on This Morning to the menopause and work select committee.

The leader of the house, Penny Mordaunt, defended Caulfield in the Commons, saying that the MP had a meeting and had offered the committee other dates to attend.

However, Mordaunt thinks it is “shocking” that people encouraged trolling of the minister.

Caulfield accused Vorderman of “abusing” her on Twitter and then blocked her, an action that Vorderman believes was taken after she saw Caulfield enjoying a cup of tea in the canteen an hour before the menopause and work select committee session.

Earlier during the session both Vorderman and fellow presenter Mariella Frostrup expressed their annoyance at Ms Caulfield not being “bothered to turn up”.

Vorderman said she had seen Ms Caulfield “having a cup of tea” in Portcullis House that day, adding “that’s not much of an example, is it?”

Frostrup told the MPs the current situation on menopause and women’s rights in the workplace feels like “treading water which is only heightened by the fact that the minister can’t be bothered to turn up”.