London: They have been credited with masterminding the political victories of John Howard, David Cameron, Boris Johnson and John Key but Britain's Tories are moving on from the famous Australian strategists Crosby Textor, saying the model of "subcontracting" election campaigns to expensive outside consultants is past its use-by date.

The shift comes after a furious blame game in both Australia and Britain between the governments and the pollsters over the cause of the horror results for the Coalition in 2016 and the Tories in 2017.

While the Liberal Party in Australia still uses the firm for polling and focus groups, Britain's Conservatives say Sir Lynton Crosby, dubbed "The Wizard of Oz", will not longer be running their campaigns.

Sir Lynton Crosby is a familiar face in conservative politics in the United Kingdom and Australia. Credit:Steve Back

James Cleverly, the Conservative party's deputy chairman told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, the party had come to the conclusion it needed its own "in-house, election-winning capability" following the 2017 poll where the government lost its majority.