TORY chiefs have warned MPs and local activists they will be kicked out of the party if they back Nigel Farage in the European elections.

The threat came as a poll shows Theresa May’s troops faces a hammering as Brexit voters desert her in droves.

2 Conservative chiefs have warned MPs and local activists that if they vote for Nigel Farage in the EU elections they will be kicked out of the party Credit: AFP or licensors

But some fed-up candidates vowed to jump ship instead of waiting to be pushed if the party goes ahead with the heavy-handed tactics.

An Opinium poll showed support for the Tories has slumped to just 14 per cent ahead of next month’s the EU elections.

That puts them on course to lose more than half of their 19 MEPs while the Brexit party - neck and neck with Labour on 28 per cent - in on course to win 28 seats.

If there were a general election tomorrow, Tories would win just 26 per cent, seven points behind Labour, and would crash to a huge defeat.

Tory MPs such as Lucy Allan, the MP for Telford, have openly tweeted encouragement for the Brexit Party, and dozens of others say privately they will vote for Farage.

Some have discussed defecting.

One prominent Brexiteer said: “Maybe we should all just defect to the Brexit Party. Can you imagine the chaos.”

Nigel Farage WILL lead new Brexit Party into European elections and return to Brussels as an MEP

'THE TREMOR BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE'

It was sent to members of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s European Research Group. A source close to Farage confirmed: “Nigel is very smug at the moment and is 100 per cent sure that there is at least one high-profile defection in the pipeline with others likely to follow.”

Farage is also promising the 28 Tory MPs who remain opposed to May’s Brexit deal — a group known as the “Spartans” — that the Brexit Party will not contest their seats at the next election.

In 2014, Farage successfully persuaded two Conservative MPs, Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless, to defect to Ukip.

With Tories in open revolt, the Conservative Party board has issued a warning that anyone campaigning for the Brexit Party will be kicked out.

Next week’s local elections - in which more than 500 Tory councillors are expected to lose their seats - has been described as a “tremor before the earthquake” in the Euros by political analyst Professor Matthew Goodwin, of Kent University.

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A leaked email to activists reads: “All party members, including elected representatives at all levels, are expected to fully support the party in all elections.

"Campaigning for or endorsement of any other political party is incompatible with membership of the party ... The board will not hesitate to enforce these rules.”

Conservative campaign chiefs have decided to spend as little money as possible on both elections.

2 The warning comes as a poll revealed that Theresa May's troops face a hammering as voters are deserting her in the masses Credit: PA:Press Association