Pickles and Salad? Eric Pickles hits back at Osborne with picture of himself eating a SALAD

Mr Pickles was on the receiving end of a Osborne jibe during the Spending Review speech when the chancellor dubbed him a 'model of lean government'

Twitter users who follow Tory Cabinet minister Eric Pickles will have noted a new development overnight in the 'Burgergate' row after the Communities and Local Government minister posted a picture parodying the now infamous George Osborne Byron burger image.

The portly Mr Pickles, who was on the receiving end of a Osborne jibe during the Spending Review speech - when the chancellor dubbed him a "model of lean government", exacted public revenge with a Twitter picture mocking the Osborne's ill-judged photograph of a late-night gourmet burger and chips meal.

In the Pickles photograph, which appeared to have been carefully staged to mimic that of the Tory chancellor, he is pictured with a bowl of salad and a packet of carrots, "putting finishing touches" to a big speech.

Mr Osborne, who faced a grilling over the image after The Sun revealed the burger was from 'posh' burger restaurant Byron, tweeted Pickles back "Nice one, Eric."

Yesterday, despite announcing £11.5 billion of spending cuts, Mr Osborne was forced to allocate much of his television interview time to defending his choice of takeaway food.

Ahead of the Spending Review he posted a picture of himself eating the burger at a desk with cans of Diet Coke and a coffee, at around 10pm on Tuesday with the message: "Putting final touches to the speech".

Following the Pickles retort a number of celebrity and political Twitter users posted their own parodies of the Pickles image.

Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott posted the Pickles image with the salad replaced by KFC.

Radio Two presenter Jeremy Vine posted the Pickles image but with a pigs head photoshopped onto the table.