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Brexit has made the Tories a "jihadist" party, their own former party chairman has declared.

Chris Patten, who was Conservative Chairman between 1990 and 1992 under John Major, said the process had been "horrible and divisive."

He told the BBC he hoped concessions would be made which would mean a second referendum would not be necessary.

He said: "This has been such a horrible, divisive process. Trying to deal with such complicated issues on a binary basis.

"I can't speak for the Labour Party, but I think it's doing fantastic damage to the Conservative party, and to the Conservative party getting back to what it's been in the past, which is a pragmatic party which believes in markets and the national interest."

(Image: Getty Images)

He added: "It's become a sort of jihadist, ideological party and I don't think that's very helpful."

As well as being a long-serving Tory peer, Lord Patten was an MP and minister under Margaret Thatcher.

He was the last British Governor of Hong Kong, before being named Chairman of the BBC Trust in 2011.

In September 1999 Lord Patten, a staunch remainer, became European Commissioner for External Relations, a post he held until November 2004.

For a time he was tipped as a candidate for President of the European Council.