A regional daily has been subjected to a fresh attack by a key Boris Johnson ally who has branded its investigative work “trash”.

The ongoing row between the Yorkshire Post and former Tory Cabinet minister Simon Clarke erupted again as the Commons Privileges Committee found former PM Mr Johnson had deliberately misled Parliament over Partygate.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Mr Clarke has mounted a sustained campaign of criticism against the Leeds-based daily since it began investigating issues surrounding the Teesside Freeport development earlier this year.

An independent review into allegations of “corruption, wrongdoing and illegality” surrounding the development has subsequently been ordered by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove.

Mr Clarke, who backed Mr Johnson over Partygate and plans to vote against the Privileges Committee report in today’s Commons debate, previously accused the Post of “deeply irresponsible journalism” for deciding to investigate whether a spate of dead sea creatures washing up on the North Sea coast was linked to the Freeport development.

He launched a new attack on the Post last week after a cached version of a story about Labour candidate selection on Teesside appeared in a Google search, which the MP described as a “cock-up” on Twitter.

Addressing him, editor James Mitchinson wrote: “We will do our job, professionally, without being paid to do so, without fear or favour.

“The more you show you’re scared of us, the more we’ll poke through your trash.”

Replying, Mr Clarke wrote: “You have certainly shown you can produce trash, but as for ‘poking through it’, you are welcome to.

“I am looking forward to the independent inquiry into Teesworks reporting, but my concern is that, as with the crabs, even if and when experts debunk your theories, you carry on.”

James then responded: “Independent? Yes please. Will that be after Mr Gove has marked your own homework?”

To which Mr Clarke retorted: “You are embarrassing.  Every best value investigation is initiated in this way, as you should well know.  You have absolutely no basis to impugn the integrity of the local government experts who are leading this.”

James also took aim at another Johnson supporting Conservative MP, Bassetlaw’s Brendan Clarke-Smith, after he blocked the YP editor on Twitter.

He wrote: “Someone doesn’t want me to watch as they attack the institutions that make this country great. As they publicly denigrate the characters of their colleagues. As they show their allegiance to a proven liar. Bassetlaw deserves a truth-teller, not this cowardly sycophant.”

The exchanges came ahead of the traditionally Conservative-supporting Post splashing on the findings against Mr Johnson on Friday with a front page headlined ‘Liar, Liar.’

James, who last year declared Mr Johnson “no longer welcome” at the Post’s office following the Partygate scandal, wrote that he knew the front page “was coming years ago”.

In an editorial, he wrote:  “In all the long history of our democracy, there has never been a judgement so condemnatory or shaming handed down on a Prime Minister – that he wilfully and repeatedly lied to Parliament and the country.

“The gravity of Boris Johnson’s offence is unprecedented and the committee’s ruling on it unsparing, and rightly so.”