Jeremy Corbyn is facing a backbench revolt after his threat to hold a vote of confidence in the Government descended into farce.

Labour MPs have lined up to condemn Mr Corbyn’s embarrassing U-turn, which saw him fail to deliver on the threat to put the Government on notice via a confidence vote in the House of Commons.

One influential backbench MP said the party was "truly in pantomime season”, after the Government called the Labour leader’s bluff and refused to allow time for a debate on Theresa May’s leadership.

It came after Mr Corbyn put forward a non-binding motion in Mrs May on Monday, despite being urged by a number of shadow cabinet ministers to table a full vote in the whole Government.

Whilst Mr Corbyn’s motion has no legislative effect, a formal motion of no confidence, if passed, could lead to the collapse of the Government and force a general election.

However, the Labour leader failed to deliver, despite his chief whip, Nick Brown, assuring MPs on Monday evening that the party would “escalate” its response if the Government rejected the motion.

Criticising the delay, a former shadow cabinet minister told The Telegraph that Mr Corbyn appeared to be “terrified of making a decision”, warning that many MPs were growing “weary” of his ambivalence.