Bitter Tory EU Row Sparks Leadership Warning

David Cameron has been put on notice by his own MPs who have warned he is "finished" after the EU referendum - even if his side wins.

Tory backbencher Andrew Bridgen escalated hostilities in the party by saying a challenge to the Prime Minister’s leadership was “highly likely” after 23 June.

A vote of confidence in Mr Cameron’s leadership could be held if 50 MPs called for it, but half of the parliamentary party would need to vote to depose him as leader.

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Mr Bridgen told Sky News: "I think there's at least 50 colleagues who are dissatisfied with the way that the Prime Minister has put himself front and centre of a fairly outrageous Remain campaign.

"I think that's probably highly likely ... Unless he changes the tone of this referendum debate there’s no way he will be able to unite the Conservative Party when this is all over."

He added that this would be the case even if there was a narrow win for the Remain camp.

The MP - who is a long-term critic of Mr Cameron - also made a clear threat that if the Prime Minister were to stay on, angry Brexit-leaning MPs would block his legislation in Parliament.

This would effectively paralyse the Government and force a General Election.

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Mr Bridgen said: "We have a very small majority on paper … We could end up in a situation where we have a four-year zombie parliament. I honestly think we probably need to go for a general election before Christmas and get a new mandate from the people."

Fellow Tory MP Nadine Dorries backed his call, revealing she had already written her letter calling for a challenge because Mr Cameron had told "outright lies".

She told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "If the Remain campaign wins by a large majority, I'd say it would have to be 60-40, then David Cameron might just survive, but if Remain win by a narrow majority, or if Leave, as I certainly hope, will win, he's toast within days.

"There are many issues about which David Cameron has told outright lies and because of that trust has gone in both him and George Osborne ... and it will be very hard for either of them to survive."

Letters calling for a challenge must be submitted to Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 committee of Conservative backbenchers.

She said "a considerable number" of MPs were prepared to tender them.

But the MPs have not won the support of senior Brexit-supporting colleagues, and a number of MPs and ministers backing a Leave vote have told Sky News that Mr Cameron should stay on after the result.

Former Tory leader and prominent Leave campaigner Iain Duncan Smith insisted he would back Mr Cameron in any leadership challenge, and urged his side to concentrate on winning the referendum.

Pro-Leave cabinet minister Chris Grayling insisted there was not enough support for a coup.

He told the BBC: "I don't think there are 50 colleagues gunning for the Prime Minister.

"I can assure you that those people who fought to win their seats 12 months ago are definitely not gunning for a general election by Christmas."

:: EU In or Out: David Cameron Live, Sky News 8pm Thursday; Michael Gove Live 8pm Friday