Lee Anderson hit back at Anna Soubry as a row erupted over Labour’s childcare proposals.
The Tory deputy chairman branded plans being drawn up by Sir Keir Starmer for thousands of new nursery places in primary schools as “truly shocking” in a post on social media platform X.
But Ms Soubry suggested Mr Anderson did not have a “true understanding of the lives of ordinary voters”.
In response, Mr Anderson brutally shot back that the former Conservative minister was “relevant a few years ago”.
The debate was sparked by Tory MP Miriam Cates criticising Labour proposals, expected to be included in its manifesto, to create thousands of new nursery places.
Ms Cates, a rising star on the right of the party, said: “Labour’s plan for babies… Six months with mummy or daddy (if you’re lucky) then handed over to the state so mummy and daddy can get back to the critical national endeavour of generating GDP. Has anyone asked if this is best for children?”
Theresa May’s former chief of staff Lord Barwell replied: “There is a section of my party that appears not to understand that in many parts of the country unless one parent is earning a very good wage both parents have to work to make ends meet – and that reliable, affordable, high-quality childcare is therefore essential.”
Ms Soubry, who quit the party over Brexit, responded to Lord Barwell saying it was no longer a “section” but “mainstream”.
She shared a screenshot of a post by Mr Anderson which said: “State-controlled children. This is a chilling idea, truly shocking. Parents should be parents. That’s the whole point surely?”
Ms Soubry went on: “There’s barely anyone left in today’s Conservatives with a true understanding of the lives of ordinary voters.
“Anderson is Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party.”
But Mr Anderson hit back: “Yes I’m the Deputy Chair and yes I’m booked up for the next six months to speak at Conservative events all over the UK as I have been for the past 18 months speaking to real Conservatives.
“You need to start reading the room not your own tweets. Fairly sure you were relevant a few years ago. Let it go duck and try and be nice. Divisive dog whistle politics is not attractive.”
