Tory MPs' Disloyalty To Cameron 'Mind Blowing'

Conservative grandees Lord Heseltine and Sir Eric Pickles have launched an attack on pro-Brexit Tory MPs - branding their disloyalty towards David Cameron as "mind blowing".

Former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine told Sky News' Murnaghan show: "To see people who, frankly, many of them would not have their seats and certainly many of them wouldn't be in government, if David Cameron hadn't won that election for the Conservatives.

"To see them now turning on the policies that some of them have been sitting in the Government implementing - I just find mind blowing."

Lord Heseltine also said he saw similarities between Conservative in-fighting now and that seen under John Major in the 1990s.

Government tsar Sir Eric agreed with Lord Heseltine that "we would not be in government without David Cameron".

"It is quite understandable why Conservative MPs are playing the man rather than the ball," he told Murnaghan.

"Because they don't actually have much of a case.

"We are waiting and continue to wait for an alternative for our membership of the European Union, so all they have left, I think, is vulgar abuse."

Meanwhile Australia would welcome the UK staying in the EU, the country's prime minister declared, as he joined international backing for a "remain" vote in the referendum.

Malcolm Turnbull said relations would remain "very, very close" between the two countries whatever the outcome of the 23 June vote and insisted it was "absolutely a decision for Brits alone".

But, he said: "The EU is an enormous economic and political entity and from our point of view - you might say from our selfish point of view - having a country to whom we have close ties and such strong relationships... is definitely an advantage.

"So if the British people, in their wisdom, decide to stay in the European Union, then we would welcome that.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond welcomed the Mr Turnbull's intervention, saying the comments "underline the simple fact that our Commonwealth partners see Britain as being stronger and more influential as a member of the EU.

"The Leave campaign peddles the myth that Britain has to choose between our Commonwealth friends and our EU partners."

But leading leave campaigner Nigel Farage has claimed David Cameron will not remain Prime Minister if voters back Brexit.

Speaking to the BBC the UKIP leader said: "If we win the referendum we have to make sure that a British government carries out the will of the people.

"I have seen referendums all over Europe where the people's voice has been ignored.

"So UKIP being strong and making sure that the Government and the Prime Minister - which won't be David Cameron in my view - but whoever it is, making sure they do go for Article 50 of the treaty and start the process of political divorce."

Mr Cameron received a boost on Sunday as a new poll showed more people believe the economy will be better if the UK remains in the EU.

With less than two months left before the referendum, an Opinium/Observer poll shows 38% of voters believe the UK economy would fare better inside the EU, against 29% who think it would do better if the UK voted to leave.

Overall, Remain holds a narrow lead on 42% (up three points on the previous Opinium poll) while Leave is down two points on 41%.