Tory MPs have been plunged into civil war over the election results left a hung parliament

Furious Tory MPs last night threatened to oust Theresa May within six months after her disastrous election campaign.

The party was plunged into civil war after the Prime Minister lost her Commons majority, with MPs aghast at her campaign tactics that resulted in the Tories blowing a 20-point lead over Labour.

They demanded the resignation of Mrs May's closest aides, and amid reports the PM had to be talked out of resigning early yesterday, some ministers said she would be forced from office in months.

Speculation mounted about potential successors, with Boris Johnson and David Davis both strongly tipped, and rumours of a joint ticket involving Home Secretary Amber Rudd and former Justice Secretary Michael Gove.

In a defiant statement on the steps of No 10 yesterday, Mrs May vowed to 'get to work' on delivering Brexit after visiting the Queen to inform her she would try to form a minority government with the support of the hard-line Democratic Unionist Party.

However, the tone of Mrs May's statement only enraged Tory MPs further as she failed to mention the MPs who had lost their seats, or show any contrition for a result that plunges the country – and Brexit negotiations – into turmoil.

After critics said she was 'in denial', Mrs May later made a statement in which she apologised to Tory MPs who lost their seats and promised to 'reflect' on the result.

A well-placed source said Brexit Secretary Mr Davis had to make an emergency dash to No 10 to 'shore up' the Prime Minister after rumours circulated that she might quit. Shortly afterwards, Downing Street put out a statement saying Mrs May would stay on and try to form a government.

May's gamble in calling an early election backfired spectacularly, as her Conservative Party lost its majority in Parliament

Despite the turmoil rocking Mrs May's premiership, only one Cabinet minister – Transport Secretary Chris Grayling – came out publicly to defend her. On Question Time last night, he said: 'No, she shouldn't resign. She won the largest vote share that a Conservative Prime Minister or leader has won for a generation.'

Last night, the weakened Prime Minister was forced to scrap plans for a frontbench reshuffle and keep Chancellor Philip Hammond in his post.

On an extraordinary day of drama at Westminster:

Tory MPs savaged the party's manifesto, with one minister who lost his seat saying it 'put an Exocet through the heart of our main supporters – older people';

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was ready to try to form a coalition with the SNP, Liberal Democrats, Welsh nationalists and Greens if Mrs May falls short;

Brexit was plunged into chaos just days before negotiations with Brussels are due to begin;

In further embarrassment for Mrs May last night, the last parliamentary seat to be decided – former Tory stronghold Kensington – was won by Labour's Emma Dent Coad by a razor-thin 20 votes from Victoria Borwick;

Rumours swirled that Mrs May's joint chiefs-of-staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill were on the verge of quitting over their role in the campaign;

A Tory surge in Scotland killed off the prospect of a second referendum on independence, with SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon admitting she would have to 'reflect' on the loss of 21 MPs;

Mrs May was warned she could undermine the Northern Ireland peace process by striking a deal with the DUP;

Ukip leader Paul Nuttall resigned after a disastrous night that saw the anti-EU party lose more than three million votes.

Mrs May faced a fierce backlash from MPs and ministers over the campaign which appeared to pluck disaster from the jaws of triumph.

Tory MP Heidi Allen said it was clear Mrs May could not stay on 'indefinitely'. Asked how long she might survive, she said: 'I don't see any more than six months.'

Brexit Minister David Jones said he supported Mrs May but it was 'impossible to say' if she would still be Prime Minister in six months' time.

Pressed on how long she would stay PM, Mr Jones said: 'That remains to be seen.'

Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after she traveled to Buckingham Palace for an audience with Queen Elizabeth II following the General Election results

DUP leaders head to Westminster Last night senior Democratic Unionist Party leaders were reportedly heading to Westminster to hammer out a deal. Nigel Dodds, the DUP deputy leader, and the party’s chief whip Sir Jeffrey Donaldson were expected to make the journey from Belfast to meet key Tory aides. There was fierce speculation about what form any deal could take. It could be a written ‘programme for government’ which could form the basis of commitments in the Queen’s Speech later this month, or a looser arrangement where the two parties agree on a law-by-law basis. A replication of the 2010 Tory-Lib Dem coalition is thought to be unlikely. Advertisement

One minister predicted Mrs May would have to go by the time of the annual Tory conference in October, adding: 'There is no way she makes it past conference.' Another said: 'Unless she turns things round very quickly – which does not look likely right now – then she will be gone by the end of the year.' Former minister Anna Soubry called for the PM to resign immediately, saying: 'She needs to consider her position.'

Miss Soubry added: 'It was a dreadful campaign, and that's me being generous. We need to take stock and our new leader needs to take stock.'

Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said the election result would 'inevitably have consequences for our negotiating position given the need for Parliamentary agreement to the final deal on Brexit'.

She added: 'The precipitous fall from predicted 'landslide' to minority government was wholly avoidable – the result of hubris and a failure to listen.'

But in a speech in Downing Street, the Prime Minister insisted she planned to serve a full five-year term.

At 2am: May arrives at Conservative Party Headquaters with her husband Philip May as the results pour in

At 1pm: Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip are clapped into 10 Downing Street in by staff after seeing Queen Elizabeth II where she asked to form a new governmen

Boris REFUSES to back May for PM Boris Johnson is the favourite with the bookies to be the next Prime Minister and has already refused to give his backing to Theresa May. He told a reporter it was 'early days' when he was asked if she should stay on, as he attended his own count in Uxbridge. He also stayed silent when a reporter suggested that the Tory leader was 'fatally wounded' - and then appeared not to hear when another journalist asked him: 'Does your party need a new leader? Is it you?'. Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, is 11/4 with the bookies to be the next leader. He crashed out of the leadership race at the end of last year after Cameron resigned in the wake of the Brexit result. Advertisement

Mrs May insisted that, as the leader of the largest party in the new parliament, she had a duty to act in the 'national interest' by staying on at a 'critical time in our country'.

The PM called the election to strengthen her mandate to deliver Brexit, but ended up weakening it. Yesterday she insisted she would press ahead with her Brexit plans, which include taking the UK out of the EU's single market and ending free movement.

'That's what people voted for last June,' she said. 'That's what we will deliver. Let's get to work.'

Allies of the PM insisted she had every right to stay on after securing 13.7 million votes – more than Tony Blair got in the New Labour landslide in 1997. The Tories were only four seats and 287 votes away from a working majority of 322. And 1,688 votes away from a proper majority of 326.

One ally said it would be risky to try to oust the PM, saying: 'You couldn't hold a leadership contest without then holding another election – and no-one wants that, most of all the public.'

But the future of Brexit was in doubt last night. One Whitehall source said the Government's plans were 'as good as dead', with almost no chance of a weakened PM forcing them through the Commons and Lords after failing to get a mandate. Pro-Remain forces in the Tory Party indicated they would now push to stay in the single market.

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who emerged from the election as a powerful figure, urged Mrs May to prioritise the economy over the need to end free movement, saying: 'We must, in my view, seek to deliver an open Brexit, not a closed one, which puts our country's economic growth first.'

But a senior Eurosceptic MP warned Mrs May against any backsliding over Brexit.

'If we remain in the European Economic Area, we will not be able to control immigration which is what people want and we will not be able to control domestic regulations and do services trade deals with the rest of the world,' he said. 'If we are not putting forward an internationalist trade agenda the economic benefits of Brexit will not be realised.'

One minister said the failure to secure a strong mandate could see the Tory Party 'tear itself apart over Europe again'.

Silent cabinet as Ministers 'go into hiding' without backing PM May The Prime Minister has been publically defended by just a handful of her close cabinet ministers today as some key names appeared to go into hiding, licking the wounds of a lost Conservative majority. Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd, Boris Johnson and Michael Fallon have yet to declare public support for Theresa May, whose decision to call a snap general election has backfired. Hammond is said to have clashed in Number 10 with the PM, amid claims she briefed that he would be sacked several times during the campaign. Justine Greening, who saw her majority of more than 11,000 slashed to 1,500 in Putney, has also failed to declare public backing. Liz Truss has not returned the PM's support for her to remain as Lord Chancellor with a public nod of approval. But David Davis, the Brexit secretary, said: 'The simple truth is we have a Prime Minister, she is a very good leader, I'm a big supporter of hers.' And Damien Green said he hoped there would be a Conservative government led by Theresa May. James Brokenshire also defended her decision to call the snap election, after the shock result of a hung parliament. Advertisement

Furious Hammond dodges the sack: Chancellor turns on the PM over toxic briefings and she is forced to scrap her plan for a major reshuffle

Philip Hammond clashed with Theresa May yesterday over claims she planned to sack him

Philip Hammond clashed with Theresa May yesterday over claims she planned to sack him.

It came as the weakened Prime Minister had to abandon a full reshuffle.

Amid fury at her failure to win a majority, the Chancellor was said to have challenged her face-to-face over a series of negative briefings against him during the campaign.

A well-placed source said: 'He made it pretty awkward for her, telling her, 'You've been briefing for weeks you are going to sack me'. The PM mumbled that it wasn't her.'

Mr Hammond also apparently demanded Mrs May remove her joint chief of staff Nick Timothy, with whom he has clashed repeatedly, and appoint a deputy prime minister to cut her reliance on special advisers – a plan she was said to be considering last night.

The Chancellor was sidelined during the Tory campaign and subjected to a drip-drip of briefings suggesting he would be replaced by Home Secretary Amber Rudd or Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green.

WILL THIS BE 1974 ALL OVER AGAIN? Parallels were drawn between yesterday’s election and 1974, when Tory prime minister Ted Heath called an election asking for a mandate to take on militant trade unions. Similarly, Theresa May went to the polls asking for voters to give her a strong mandate in Brexit talks. Both decisions backfired. In February 1974, Labour won 301 seats to the Tories’ 297 – the first hung parliament since the Second World War. Harold Wilson formed a minority Labour government, then called a second election in October, and won. There was speculation yesterday that Britain may have to vote again later this year. As results came in former shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: ‘This looks like 1974. A Conservative prime minister who didn’t need to call an election… given a real kicking.’ Advertisement

Yesterday Mrs May – whose own job is now under threat – had to abandon the plans, instead confirming he would stay in his post. Miss Rudd, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon and Brexit Secretary David Davis will also keep their jobs.

The Prime Minister will complete a 'reshuffle' today. But what had been intended as a sweeping reorganisation will now be minor tinkering. Sackings are highly unlikely given Mrs May's weakened position.

Downing Street sources last night denied the account of her conversation with Mr Hammond, insisting it had been cordial.

But allies of the Chancellor confirmed he felt shabbily treated by No 10.

One said: 'It has been shocking and counter-productive. Sidelining Philip made it impossible to get on the front foot on the economy – it gave [John] McDonnell a free pass to set out ridiculous plans that we never properly challenged and we made nothing of our record on the economy.'

Another said: 'The treatment of Philip has been a disgrace. If you are trashing and hiding your chancellor then you cannot very well attack the other side on the economy. It was a big mistake.'

Mr Hammond angered some in No 10 last year by warning that Brexit was likely to set the economy on a 'rollercoaster ride'. The election result means he emerges a strengthened figure.

Mrs May had planned a major reshuffle, with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, above, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom all tipped for the sack

But it could also lead to dangerous friction between No 10 and the Treasury. One minister said: 'Imagine the tensions around the Cabinet table, being forced to work with someone you know wanted to sack you. He'll get on with it, but it's not great.'

HOW TORIES COULD TRIGGER LEADERSHIP CONTEST If Tory MPs want to trigger a leadership contest, then under party rules 15 per cent of them must write to the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs saying they no longer have confidence in the leader. The only other way to trigger a contest is if the leader chooses, or is convinced, to resign. When the party is picking a new leader, MPs must first vote to narrow down the candidates to a shortlist of two. All party members then each get one vote in a national ballot. Advertisement

Early in the election campaign, when the polls were suggesting a possible Tory landslide, Mrs May and her aides had considered moving Mr Johnson from the Foreign Office – and possibly even sending him to the backbenches. He was also sidelined for much of the early part of the campaign, which focused almost entirely on Mrs May.

But as the campaign soured, Mr Johnson was given an increasingly prominent role, even introducing Mrs May at her final rally. The Foreign Secretary, who has now emerged as her chief rival, made no comment yesterday apart from a brief message on Twitter, saying: 'Delighted to be reappointed Foreign Secretary. Lots of great work to do for greatest country on earth.'

Mrs May had planned a major reshuffle, with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom all tipped for the sack. But it is now likely to be a minor affair, focused on replacing the eight ministers kicked out by the voters.