Robert Jenrick has blasted Kemi Badenoch for spouting “garbage” as the Tory leadership descended into acrimony.
He accused his bitter rival of “misinformation” and making “petty personal attacks” as the gloves came off.
Mr Jenrick’s outburst comes just days before votes close in the contest to replace Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader.
The former Cabinet Secretary lashed out as he hit back at comments by Mrs Badenoch as she questioned his track record.
In the fiercest attacks of the campaign so far the favourite pointed out that she has “never been sacked” and suggested Mr Jenrick had been, when in government, because of a “whiff of impropriety”.
She told the Sunday Telegraph: “Integrity matters with me you’d have a leader where there’s no scandal.
“I was never sacked for anything, I didn’t have to resign in disgrace or, you know, because there was a whiff of impropriety,” she said, in an apparent reference to Mr Jenrick’s involvement in a planning dispute when he was housing secretary.”
Asked about the remarks today Mr Jenrick told GB News that it was a “great shame” that Mrs Badenoch had chosen to “sully” the leadership contest in the final days.
“If Kemi does this to conservative colleagues, this will be the death of the party. I want to end the drama and petty disputes,” he said.
Mrs Badenoch is the bookies’ favourite to win the contest, the result of which will be announced next Saturday.
