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David Cameron jokily branded Nick Clegg an “idle f****r”, it was revealed yesterday.

The PM’s foul-mouthed remark came as he heard the Lib Dem leader and his wife were enjoying a meal out – while he was still busy working.

He made the discovery after calling a horse-training pal who happened to be in the same restaurant as the Cleggs.

Mr Cameron wanted information about an Arab prince’s horses – to help him make “small talk” in crucial trade negotiations with the United Arab Emirates.

During the call, the pal said he was sitting at a table near the Deputy PM.

According to a senior Tory source, Mr Cameron then said: “Tell him he’s an idle f****r. I’m out here batting for Britain and he’s having a nice dinner.”

A Lib Dem insider said Mr Clegg never received the tongue-in-cheek message, adding: “Nick does not regard himself as idle.”

And if Mr Clegg feels aggrieved, he may want to mention the FOUR holidays Mr Cameron has enjoyed this year alone.

In a recent biography a friend of the PM is quoted as saying: “If there was a gold medal for ‘chillaxing’, he would win it.”

It is also not the first time Mr Cameron has used fruity language. He recently referred to eco levies as “green crap”.

He has also privately described journalists as “f*****s” – and once dismissed Twitter, with the phrase “too many tweets make a t***”.