Nick Clegg descended into a union-bashing diatribe yesterday after MPs confronted him about a swathe of job losses planned by one of the bosses bankrolling his re-election bid.

Autofill Yarns managing director Anthony Ullmann has pledged £34,500 to help the troubled Lib Dem leader cling on to his Sheffield Hallam seat.

But filling in at Prime Minister’s Questions for David Cameron yesterday, Mr Clegg shrugged off worries that the Nottingham firm plans to throw 134 people out of work by moving production to Bulgaria.

Mr Clegg visited the factory last month, warning the workers that exiting the EU would put British jobs at risk.

But when Labour MP Andrew Gwynne pointed out that Mr Clegg’s boss pal was threatening British jobs, the Tory stooge reverted to anti-union ranting.

The Deputy PM blustered: “I’m very, very surprised by his line of questioning given that the Labour Party is entirely bankrolled by the puppet masters of the trade unions.

“For all I know that question might have been written for him by his trade union bosses.”

Asked by the Star later whether Mr Clegg’s response was influenced by the donation, a government spokesman insisted: “The response he gave was the response he would have given regardless of what company it was or any donation.”

But Mr Gwynne told the Star: “Nick Clegg ducked a question about a major Lib Dem donor who is overseeing redundancies and people will expect answers.”

The Lib Dem leader feebly tried to turn the question on Mr Gwynne, asking “surely he would agree that it’s time we clean up party funding once and for all?”

TUC Midlands regional secretary Lee Barron pointed out though that union donations are “the most transparent form of political funding that exists.”

And Mr Barron said Autofill workers worrying for their futures would be appalled by Mr Clegg’s answer.

“He’s used trade unions as a political football as a way to avoid answering a question about UK jobs that could be sent overseas,” he said.

“These are people’s jobs and livelihoods at stake.

“That’s bad enough usually but especially worrying for them at this time of year.”

Mr Clegg was also given a torrid time by Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman, who blasted Lib Dem support for the coalition’s attacks on women.

She told him that policies he helped implement had overwhelmingly hit women, especially in the workplace.

The introduction of tribunal fees has triggered a 90 per cent fall in the number of sex discrimination cases brought, Ms Harman said.

“He talks the talk but he walks through the lobby with the Tories.

“He briefs against them but he always votes with them. He complains about the Autumn Statement but he always signs it off.

“That’s why people will never trust him or his party ever again.”