A senior minister has launched a scathing diatribe against some backbench Conservative MPs, accusing them of being "zealots" who talk "bollocks" and will force the party to retreat into opposition after the next election.

Energy minister Claire Perry, who attends cabinet, made the comments in a WhatsApp group of women Tory MPs in response to backbencher Christopher Chope blocking the FGM bill on Friday.

Chope has previously opposed legislation that would have pardoned codebreaker Alan Turing, and another bill to make upskirting a criminal offence.

In messages leaked to BuzzFeed News, Perry wrote that Chope and his veteran Brexiteer colleagues Peter Bone and Bernard Jenkin "don't give a toss", adding: "They are not politicians they are zealots for whom winning an argument beats winning an election". Turning the conversation to Brexit, Perry said: "It’s the same with the backstop".

She ended her first message with a cheery "Have a jolly day ladies!"