Conservatives would be ‘wiped out’ and Corbyn would be prime minister in snap general election, Tory MP says

The Conservatives would be “wiped out” and Jeremy Corbyn would become prime minister if there is a snap general election, a Tory MP has said.

Johnny Mercer, who is tipped as a future leadership candidate, said the Tories would “just get left behind” if the Brexit crisis results in an election in the coming months.

It comes amid speculation that Theresa May could call a snap poll if she is unable to get a Brexit deal through parliament.

But in an interview with The Spectator, Mr Mercer warned: “The party will get wiped out. We’ll get top-sliced and bottom-sliced by those who don’t want any Brexit – and those who want a Ukip version of Brexit. We’ll just get left behind and Jeremy Corbyn will be prime minister.”

Mr Mercer, the MP for Plymouth Moor View, hit the headlines last year after describing the government as a “s***show” and admitting he would not vote Conservative were he not a Tory MP.

In his latest attack, he condemned cabinet ministers and Conservative MPs who have anonymously attacked Ms May, saying: “You couldn’t run Tesco, you couldn’t run a corner shop, if all your workers went out and briefed the local press.

He told colleagues: “Put your name to it and say it or shut the f*** up.”

He refused to say whether he was planning to run to succeed Ms May but fuelled speculation of a leadership bid by dismissing suggestions, including from transport secretary Chris Grayling, that the next prime minister should be an experienced Eurosceptic.

He said: “I’m afraid I’m not one of these people who thinks that years of cabinet service are a mandatory precursor to becoming prime minister. The idea that you can’t learn about leadership and management and run big successful organisations anywhere outside of government is complete rubbish.

“Obama was a first-time senator. We need to put more emphasis on people who can lead a team, who can sell a vision, who can lead a country, inspire a nation.”