Veteran Queensland Liberal MP Warren Entsch has accused Prime Minister Tony Abbott of undermining cabinet ministers and keeping backbenchers in the dark, it’s been reported.

Mr Entsch launched an extraordinary attack on Mr Abbott and his most trusted adviser Peta Credlin and has now lodged an official complaint with chief whip Philip Ruddock, News Corp Australia has reported.

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His actions follow Mr Abbott’s claims that those who have been criticising Ms Credlin are sexists who would not make the same claims if her name was “P-E-T-E-R as opposed to P-E-T-A”.

But Mr Entsch took issue with that.

“It’s not about her bloody gender for God’s sake. Let me tell you. It doesn’t matter if her name is H-A-R-R-Y or D-I-C-K,” he said.

“To suggest there’s an issue because of her gender I find offensive. He’s basically said, if they don’t like it they are sexists.

“He needs to be very careful because there’s a lot of cabinet ministers who have a problem with how the Prime Minister’s Office is operating. It’s as bad as it’s ever been.”

Mr Entsch said the PM’s office was briefing against cabinet ministers and backbenchers were not being informed about major policy matters.