Revenge is best served cold, and Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh is now dishing it up, with extra relish, to embattled John Prescott.

The Deputy Prime Minister insulted the Tory MP earlier this month by calling her a "twit" in the Commons.

Miss McIntosh asked him to apologise, but he refused - and even repeated his gibe.

In his latest outburst, Mr Prescott angered French Environment Minister Dominique Voynet by suggesting she got "cold feet" over a deal with the US on climate change. She responded furiously by calling him an "inveterate macho man".

Ministers said the climate change talks at The Hague eventually failed because they ran out of time.

But Miss McIntosh took a swipe at Mr Prescott in the Commons yesterday, saying: "Bearing in mind that he wishes to be regarded as a sensitive, charming soul, did he really mean to offend the French minister by referring to her lack of understanding of the complex issues involved? Was it a lack of time or a lack of charm?"

But this was just a starter and Miss McIntosh delivered the main course this morning on national radio.

She said Ms Voynet's anger had "struck a chord" with other parliamentarians, adding: "Regrettably the Deputy Prime Minister appears to be gratuitously rude, especially to women.

On both this side and the French side of the Channel, he does appear to be a victim of blatant chauvinism and seems to be proud to be so."