Theresa May was said to have been uncomfortable with the Tory campaign

Theresa May wanted to ditch the slogan 'strong and stable' during the election campaign, it has been claimed.

The Prime Minister feared constant repetition of the phrase was making her look 'stupid'. But campaign guru Sir Lynton Crosby is said to have insisted she should stick to the mantra.

The apparent clashes lay bare the problems in the Tory election machine that ended with the party losing its overall majority.

Despite securing scores more seats than Jeremy Corbyn, Mrs May has been left scrabbling around for a deal with the DUP that will allow her to cling on in Downing Street.

According to the Sunday Times, Mrs May was anxious about the tactic of hammering home the "strong and stable" offer against the "coalition of chaos" run by Mr Corbyn.

The PM is said to have complained privately: "I look stupid."

A source told the newspaper: "We ran a campaign against our instincts and when we said 'strong and stable' had become a joke we were told, 'No changes.'"

However, Crosby's allies point out that their lead over Labour remained huge in the early part of the campaign, before fading in the wake of the botched manifesto launch.

Mrs May faces a crucial test today when she addresses Tory MPs at a meeting of the powerful 1922 Committee.

The signs are that her backbenchers will not try to eject her immediately - but she is set to get a rough ride over the way the campaign was bungled.

Allies of Boris Johnson have been gearing up for a fresh leadership bid, although the Foreign Secretary himself has flatly denied he is planning one and appealed for unity behind Mrs May.

Michael Gove made a spectacular comeback to the Cabinet last night as Mrs May fought to shore up her position in the wake of the Tory election catastrophe.

Michael Gove made a dramatic return to the Cabinet last night as he was appointed Environment Secretary by Theresa May

He was ruthlessly axed as Justice Secretary by the PM last year after she swept into the top job.

But she has now appointed him Environment Secretary - as she demoted Andrea Leadsom to leader of the House of Commons.

The embattled Prime Minister will hope that bringing the big political beast back into the fold will help restore her authority in the party.

Mr Gove, who clashed bitterly with Mrs May over tackling extremism when they were in government under David Cameron, said that he had been taken by surprise when the invitation came through to visit No 10.

He said: 'I genuinely didn't expect this role.

'I am delighted to be part of the Government. I am delighted to be able to support Theresa May to ensure that we have a Government capable of delivering on the people's wishes.'

Mr Gove's exile to the backbenches came after he backed Boris Johnson for the Tory leadership before swiftly stabbing him in the back and throwing his own name into the ring.

Mrs Leadsom's demotion may be seen by some as revenge after she suggested in a newspaper interview that she would make a better PM than Mrs May because she has children.

Meanwhile, Mrs May installed Damian Green as her effective deputy as she fights to shore up her position in the wake of the Tory election catastrophe.

Liz Truss has been demoted from Justice to Chief Secretary to the Treasury - going from a full Cabinet member to merely attending meetings of the elite group.