By Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor PUBLISHED: 05:06 EST, 30 September 2013 | UPDATED: 05:09 EST, 30 September 2013 George Osborne was today forced to deny thinking that Iain Duncan Smith is not clever enough to be a Cabinet minister. The Chancellor and the Work and Pensions Secretary have been engaged in a bitter turf war over the future of benefits reform. But a new book reveals that relations between the two senior ministers are far worse than previously admitted. Clash: George Osborne (right) was forced to deny thinking Iain Duncan Smith was not clever enough to be in the Cabinet
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Chancellor insists he gets on well with Work and Pensions Secretary
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He hails colleague as a 'remarkable individual' after book revealed rift
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IDS likens Osborne and Cameron to 'Ant and Dec', according to reports
George Osborne
George Osborne
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According to the book, Mr @placeholder confided in allies: ‘You see Iain giving presentations and realise he’s just not clever enough.’
Ant and Dec
Mr Duncan Smith’s spokeswoman refused to respond to the claims but one ally dismissed the ‘tittle tattle’, adding: ‘I’d be surprised if he knew who @placeholder are.’