The Conservatives in London have reportedly held secret discussions about a potential breakaway from the national party, amid fears of an electoral wipeout in the local elections next month.

Senior Tories have hosted a series of meetings over the past year in order to draw up plans for a separate party which would boast its own brand, ­policies and figurehead separate to Theresa May.

The disclosure is deeply embarrassing for Mrs May, who is braced for the party’s worst performance in the ­capital in its 184-year history, when the ballots are cast next month.

According to analysis conducted by Lord Hayward and Tony Travers, a ­respected academic, the Conservatives are expected to lose almost 100 seats in the capital, falling from 612 to 519, while all nine councils under its ­control are thought to be at risk.

Meanwhile, The Spectator claims that those involved in the talks have been spurred on by the success of Ruth Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, whose distinct brand and policies have been credited for the party’s remarkable turnaround in Scotland.