PUP senator Jacqui Lambie says if Clive Palmer (pictured) "had a conscience" he would support her campaign against the government's Defence pay deal. Credit:Angela Wylie Senator Lambie said on Friday Mr Palmer had heard her out but she learnt he would not be supporting her Remembrance Day campaign via a "radio interview". The former soldier lashed out against her leader and threatened to split the party's voting bloc in the Senate. "You know what, it's getting to the point I just don't care what Clive Palmer's position is on this at the moment - but if he had a conscience he'd stand right beside me and our troops and our veterans," Senator Lambie told the ABC. "Clive will have to decide whether he wants to see his party separated in the Senate, that's all Clive Palmer needs to decide on.

Senator Jacqui Lambie: "Clive will have to decide whether he wants to see his party separated in the Senate." Credit:Andrew Meares "Clive Palmer can no longer sit on the fence, he's either standing by me or he's standing near the Liberal National Party but I'm not going to stand around and watch Clive Palmer back flipping." Mr Palmer responded in a statement on Friday but did not address his senator's threat to split the party or her threat to block legislation in the Senate. However he did reiterate that while he opposed the below inflation pay rise awarded to Defence he would not be protesting on Remembrance Day or Anzac Day. "In relation to Senator Lambie and her comments, she is very passionate about this issue as she did wear a uniform and served this country for more than 10 years," he said in a statement.

"The beauty of democracy is that people are allowed to have their own positions on matters such as these," he added. "I will not make a political stance or statement on Remembrance Day or Anzac Day to dispute pay rates, I believe there is a political process when it comes to matters such as these and I will be respecting that process." 'Threats don't work' Treasurer Joe Hockey stared down Senator Lambie's threat and said her actions would only make the fiscal situation worse. "Threats don't work for this government, the deal's been struck," he said.

"I wish we could pay our Defence Force more but the money is not in the budget," he said. "But if the government is hamstrung by Senator Lambie and others that are opposing are reduction in government expenditure then there's certainly no money there to pay other people more money," he said. The independent Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal earlier this week approved the below-inflation pay deal for 57,000 Australia soldiers, sailors and air force personnel.

Tensions between Mr Palmer and Senator Lambie have been played out in the public domain on several occasions since the Senator took her place in the Senate. Sources told Fairfax Media in September that they overheard Mr Palmer bagging his senator as "not very bright" in a conversation with fellow PUP parliamentarian Zhenya "Dio" Wang.

Mr Palmer has also distanced himself several times from Senator Lambie's campaign to ban the burqa in Australia and her claim that Islamic Law "involves terrorism". Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called on the government to boost the pay offer for Diggers, but refused to comment on the divisions within Palmer United. "I'm just not going to go where some of the crossbench senator's comments go," Mr Shorten told reporters in Brisbane. "I don't think Clive Palmer or his senators are the main game here. The main game is Tony Abbott," he said. Loading