Conservative MEPs have given their support to the authoritarian government of Viktor Orban in a crunch vote in the European Parliament.

Almost all of the politicians representing Theresa May’s party voted against a motion to censure the Hungarian leader, which in the end was overwhelmingly passed.

Their support for the right-wing leader – accused of violating press freedoms, undermining judicial independence and waging an antisemitic campaign against a leading Jewish businessman – was attacked by Ms May’s critics in the UK.

But her spokespeople attempted to distance the prime minister from the move by claiming on Wednesday afternoon that she had not been consulted in advance how her MEPs would vote.

Politicians from across the EU voted by a two-thirds majority 448-197 in favour of starting the ‘Article 7’ process – which could ultimately see Hungary stripped of its voting rights at the European Council.

As well as undermining civil rights, the judiciary and attacking Jewish businessman George Soros, Mr Orban’s government is subject to allegations of corruption relating to the alleged misspending of EU funds by his friends and family.

Mr Orban himself has described refugees as “Muslim invaders” and been accused of being deeply Islamophobic.

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Ahead of the vote, Tories claimed the process had been “politicised” and was counterproductive – putting them at odds with the continent’s mainstream.

Conservative sources in Strasbourg denied the vote had anything to do with Brexit – after they were accused by some opponents of allying with the populist government in a frantic search for allies.

We would like to have a fair Brexit because we love the British and because we cooperated always well Viktor Orban

However, Mr Orban had arrived at the meeting of the European Parliament saying: “We would like to have a fair Brexit because we love the British and because we cooperated always well – and you deserve a good deal, a fair deal.”

MEPs at the European Parliament’s seat in Strasbourg cheered and applauded in celebration after it was announced that the motion had passed.

On Tuesday Mr Orban himself travelled to Strasbourg in a last-ditch attempt to make his case.

Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Show all 14 1 /14 Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Internal divisions in the Conservative Party have exploded into a bitter public row over Boris Johnson‘s “disgusting” criticism of Theresa May. Some senior Tories furiously denounced the former foreign secretary after he accused the prime minister of having ”wrapped a suicide vest” around Britain Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Sajid Javid, Home secretary Sajid Javid, the home secretary, rebuked his former cabinet colleague and said: “I think there are much better ways to articulate your differences.” He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that the public wanted politicians to use “measured language” BBC/PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide But other MPs leapt to Mr Johnson’s defence, as dividing lines ahead of a possible leadership contest begin to take shape. The Uxbridge MP has repeatedly criticised Ms May’s Chequers plan and used a newspaper article on Sunday to suggest it amounted to “wrapping a suicide vest around the British constitution”. His latest salvo at the prime minister prompted immediate condemnation, with one minister publicly vowing to end Mr Johnson’s career over the matter PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alan Duncan, Foreign minister Alan Duncan, a foreign minister who worked in Mr Johnson’s team for two years, wrote on Twitter: “For Boris to say the PM’s view is like that of a suicide bomber is too much. This marks one of the most disgusting moments in modern British politics. “I’m sorry, but this is the political end of Boris Johnson. If it isn’t now, I will make sure it is later.” Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide James Brokenshire, Housing secretary Housing secretary James Brokenshire added his voice to the criticism, calling Mr Johnson’s comments ”wrong” He said: “I think he is wrong on this...I think the tone that he has used isn’t right and I think that we just need to be very focused on actually moving forward with the Chequers plan.” AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Zac Goldsmith But as Tory hostilities spilled over into open public warfare, Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith, an ally of Mr Johnson, hit back at Mr Duncan. He wrote: “There are a number of possible motives behind this tweet, but given its author, we can be certain ‘principles’ aren’t one of them.” Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Jacob Rees-Mogg Senior Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told The Independent he thought Mr Johnson’s “suicide belt” accusation was little more than “a characteristically colourful catchphrase”. He added: “I agree with the sentiment. The criticism of Boris’s wording merely serves to highlight his point. It means more people hear of Boris’s criticism of Chequers and many will agree with him.” Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Nadine Dorries Nadine Dorries, another Brexit supporter, said Mr Johnson’s opponents were “terrified of his popular appeal”, adding: “Don’t underestimate the vitriol that’ll be directed towards Boris today. He delivered the Leave vote, Remainers and wannabe future PMs hate him.” If Mr Johnson became leader and prime minister he would deliver a “clean and prosperous” Brexit, she said Rex Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Andrew Bridgen Andrew Bridgen said Ms May was to blame for her leadership problems. Asked if Mr Johnson had put a bomb under her leadership, Mr Bridgen said: “I think that Theresa May did that herself when she put forward the Chequers proposals without consulting widely prior to that.” Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Steve Baker, former Brexit minister Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister, warned Ms May the Conservatives faced a "catastrophic split" if she did not jettison her Chequers plan. Mr Baker, who quit the government in July over the scheme, said: “When negotiating, the prime minister needs to demonstrate her intent and also her power to deliver. "If we come out of conference with her hoping to get Chequers through on the back of Labour votes, I think the EU negotiators would probably understand that if that were done, the Tory party would suffer the catastrophic split which thus far we have managed to avoid.” But he insisted he did not want a change in the Conservative leadership, saying Brexiteers did “not want to be in a position of conflict with our own prime minister” Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Tom Tugendhat The deep divisions on the Tory benches were laid bare as Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee and is a possible leadership rival to Mr Johnson, also hit out at the former foreign secretary. Recalling how he encountered a suicide bomber in Afghanistan during his time in the army, Mr Tugendhat told Mr Johnson to “grow up”. He said: “A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died in horrific pain. “Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isn’t happy.” PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alistair Burt Alistair Burt, another Foreign Office minister who worked in Mr Johnson’s team, said: “I’m stunned at the nature of this attack. There is no justification for such an outrageous, inappropriate and hurtful analogy. “If we don’t stop his extraordinary use of language over Brexit, our country might never heal. Again, I say, enough.” AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide It comes amid that Ms May’s former aides drew up a dossier on Mr Johnson’s sexual encounters with the aim of undermining his leadership prospects. The document was compiled in 2016, when the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP was seen as the main rival to Ms May in her bid to enter No 10. Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquaters (CCHQ) both denied having leaked the 4,000 word memo after it was circulated around Westminster AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Mr Johnson confirmed that his 25-year marriage to wife Marina had ended AP

He accused liberals, socialists, and “forces supporting immigrants and migrants against Hungary and the Hungarian people” of being jealous of his party’s success and framed the motion as an attack on the Hungarian people, rather than his government.

Speaking before the Wednesday vote, Conservative home affairs spokesman Dan Dalton said: “This report crosses a boundary by politicising what should be a purely legal matter.

“If the EU’s treaties have been breached by any member state, it is for the European Commission to build a legal case against it.

“MEPs have no role to play in the process and their involvement leaves any subsequent legal action open to the accusation that it is politically motivated. This report is misguided, counterproductive and sets a dangerous precedent. I hope parliament votes against.”

Tory sources in Strasbourg said the vote was not a comment on the situation in Hungary.

In London, Ms May’s officials were apparently unaware of the way the vote had gone when asked about it by The Independent, saying: “We weren’t consulted in advance.”

Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party reacted with anger however, at the governing party’s support for a leader who has become something of a poster-boy for far-right European populism.

The Labour leader’s spokesman said: “Viktor Orban’s government in Hungary has clearly attacked judicial and media independence and denied refugee rights and pandered to antisemitism and islamophobia and it was absolutely right that motion of censure and investigation under the disciplinary process of the European Union was launched, and was voted on just now by the European Parliament.

“It’s absolutely shocking that the Conservative MEPs voted against that motion.”

The Conservatives’ isolation in Strasbourg was underlined after Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian conservative who is himself in a coalition with the far-right, ordered his MEPs to vote in favour of the sanctions. Manfred Weber, the Bavarian who leads the main conservative group in the Parliament, also said he would back the motion, as did most centre-right delegations from other countries.

Supportive MEPs from across the parliament’s political groups cheered and gave a standing ovation when the motion passed during the Wednesday session. The vote followed Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s annual state of the union address.

Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty, under which the vote was brought, says a member state can be sanctioned if there is ”a clear risk of a serious breach” of the European values all EU members signed up to when they joined. The values, which are spelled out in Article 2 of the same treaty are “respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities”.