Tory MP says his party would be 'wiped out' in snap General Election by country divided over Brexit

With uncertainty over Brexit bringing Parliament to a deadlock, one Tory MP does not think a General Election is the answer.

Johnny Mercer, a rising star backbencher who represents Plymouth, believes a snap election would “wipe out” the Tories – putting Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street.

The 37-year-old former army captain told Spectator: “The party will get wiped out. We’ll get top-sliced and bottom-sliced by those who don’t want any Brexit – and those who want a Ukip version of Brexit.

“We’ll just get left behind and Jeremy Corbyn will be Prime Minister.”

Theresa May told her MPs last month that she would be quitting once Brexit has been delivered, opening the door for the likes of Boris Johnson and Sajid Javid to take over the reins.

However, Mr Mercer is a popular figure within the Conservative party and his name has been mentioned as a potential future leader.

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And, while not saying outright if he would consider running, Mr Mercer, who once described his own Government as a “s*** show”, did not accept that his lack of front bench experience would rule him out of the top job.

He said: “I’m afraid I’m not one of these people who thinks that years of cabinet service are a mandatory precursor to becoming Prime Minister…

“Obama was a first-time senator. We need to put more emphasis on people who can lead a team, who can sell a vision, who can lead a country, inspire a nation.”

An opening for a new PM may come quicker than Mrs May would hope – her announcement of a softer Brexit this week has infuriated Brexiteers, with mass resignations rumoured as a result.

Chancellor Phillip Hammond said last night that he was expecting Brussels to insist on a lengthy delay to Brexit – but stressed that the Government wanted to ensure that any extension to the Article 50 process could be cut short if a deal was agreed by MPs.