Amber Rudd has savaged Tory rivals for 'parading' their wives in a 'Game of Thrones'-style leadership race.
The Cabinet minister - who could run for leadership herself - hit out after Dominic Raab and Jeremy Hunt appeared in cringeworthy photoshoots with their partners.
"People have a different way of addressing this leadership issue," she told BBC Newsnight.
"I don't think we need to parade partners in the way that we have been seeing.
"I am much more interested in the policies that people want to bring forward than the actual people.
"When it comes to that election leadership I think that is what will really influence the voters."
She added: "This shouldn't be some Game of Thrones push for the Iron Throne. We've all got important jobs to do. Let's deliver on those."
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Ms Rudd - tipped for a joint ticket bid with a Brexiteer - gave a wide-ranging speech yesterday that called for a 21st Century approach to work in a thinly-veiled Tory leadership pitch.
She said "I hope" a softening of benefit sanctions showed her credentials as a so-called 'One Nation' Tory.
She dodged questions on whether she would throw her hat in the ring for the Tory leadership, saying: “I’m committed to the DWP”.
But she demanded Tory MPs “hold our nerve” and back Theresa May in “hopefully doing a deal with Labour ”.
And she condemned Tory MPs who warned they may not vote Conservative in the EU elections - saying they must be “straight with the British people”.
Asked if the PM could last until October’s Tory conference Ms Rudd said: “The PM’s said she’s going to leave after the first stage of Brexit is completed.
“My response is that we need to hold our nerve and allow her to do that.”
She added: “I believe that she has a plan now, hopefully to do a deal with Labour, if not to bring forward indicative votes. We need to back her on trying to deliver on that.”
She condemned the “extreme parties” on both sides in the EU elections.
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And of Tory MPs who could vote against their own party on May 23 she said: “I think they’re making a mistake.”
She added: “We need to be straight with the British people about these difficulties [with Brexit] but persist and pursue the Prime Minister’s strategy of doing so.
“All Conservatives should focus on that.”
Ms Rudd called for a “deep and special partnership” with the EU rather than a No Deal Brexit .
Of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill she said: “I hope we have a deal with Labour. I hope we can get it through, so we can move onto the next stage of Brexit.”
