Nadine Dorries has mocked Rishi Sunak's expensive taste in clothes as the Tory leadership battle descended into petty squabbling.
The Culture Secretary, who is backing Liz Truss, tweeted about reports that the millionaire ex-Chancellor had been pictured wearing a £3,500 suit ahead of a crunch vote and £490 Prada loafers on a visit to a building site.
In a blatant jibe at Mr Sunak, she said his rival was more likely to be seen wearing £4.50 earrings from high street chain Claire's Accessories.
Ms Dorries had previously boasted about spending thousands of pounds on her own jewellery and clothes.
The race for No10 has become increasingly bitter, with Team Truss and the Sunak campaign trading barbs over their records and policy plans.
Senior Conservatives have pleaded with the rivals to stop bickering as they fear it is handing ammunition to Labour.
But blue on blue attacks show no sign of abating, with the pair due to clash in a BBC leadership debate tonight as Mr Sunak scrambles to make up ground with Tory members who will determine the next PM.
Combative Ms Dorries was one of Boris Johnson's most loyal lieutenants and has given her backing to Ms Truss instead of Mr Sunak - who some Johnson allies blame for the PM's demise.
This morning she tweeted a report about Mr Sunak's pricey attire, including his choice of expensive footwear to tour construction at Teesside Freeport in Redcar last week.
He was also seen wearing a Henry Herbert suit - worth a reported £3,500 - ahead of the vote that saw him into the final two of the leadership contest.
The Culture Secretary said Ms Truss "will be travelling the country wearing her earrings which cost circa £4.50 from Claire (sic) Accessories.
"Meanwhile... Rishi visits Teeside (sic) in Prada shoes worth £450 and sported £3,500 bespoke suit as he prepared for crunch leadership vote."
Guildford MP Angela Richardson, a supporter of Mr Sunak, shot back: "FFS (for f***'s sake) Nadine! Muted."
Ms Dorries has previously spoken about her own expensive wardrobe.
In a 2007 interview with the Guardian, she boasted about wearing £6,000 diamond earrings.
Described as the "platinum-haired, Fendi bag-carrying Conservative member for Mid Bedfordshire", Ms Dorries said: "I will wear cheaper clothes but there are things I will not compromise on, like my £6,000 diamond earrings."
In an interview with the Express in 2017, she said she had 20-30 pairs of high heels and she liked handbags by upmarket designer Mulberry, and Russell and Bromley.
Mulberry bags range in price from £315 to £1,750, according to the brand's website.
Asked how much she spent a month, she said: "I buy clothes at the start of each season, rather than monthly, so I do two big hits a year where I probably spend over £1,000."
Former Tory party chairman Amanda Milling said the race had become "toxic" and urged both camps to stop attacking each other.
Writing in the Sunday Times, she said: "This leadership contest has become the most toxic I have ever witnessed, and if we’re going to have any chance of reuniting our party when it ends we have got to put a stop to the ‘blue on blue’ attacks that have been used to discredit fellow candidates and provided gifts to the opposition for years to come."
Tory Minister Johnny Mercer described the contest as "embarrassing".
He tweeted: "Back in Whitehall today - perhaps only a few weeks to make a difference. Probably worth remembering that on current trajectory we are out of power in two years time.
"The puerile nature of this leadership contest is embarrassing. Time to raise the standards."
Labour said: "The country is in the middle of a cost of living crisis. But rather than get on with sorting out the mess they have created, Tory government ministers are spending their days attacking each other on Twitter. Pathetic."
