WORCESTER’S MP has hit out at the “hard-line, small irresponsible group” that requested a vote of confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May’s leadership.

Writing ahead of tonight’s crucial vote Robin Walker stressed he would be supporting the PM after being urged to do so by his constituents.

The dramatic move to oust the Prime Minister, after her Brexit deal divided MPs in Parliament, began when the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee received 48 letters from Tory MPs.

This triggered a secret ballot with the PM needing the support of 158 Conservative MPs – half of the parliamentary party plus one – in order to remain as leader.

And some commentators were also speculating she could even come under pressure to resign if she wins by only by a small margin, if there was a large vote of 100 or more against her.

Writing in tomorrow’s MPs view, the Brexit minister said: “In the middle of this (Brexit) process in which Parliament has been debating crucial matters for our country and our Prime Minister has been our battling for Britain to get the best possible deal, it is wholly irresponsible and unpatriotic for a small minority of MPs on the hard-line fringes of the party to have called for a vote of confidence.

“I said the day after the referendum that people of goodwill from across the political spectrum had to work together to make this process a success for the sake of our country.

“That a small group who make their own ideological best the enemy of the good, should choose such a crucial moment to pursue their aims is irresponsible in the extreme. As I have been urged to do by so many constituents, I shall be supporting our Prime Minister.”

He added in a tweet earlier: “Thanks to the many constituents who have already contacted me to ask me to support the Prime Minister - I can assure you that I will. I have full confidence in her to fight for the interests of our country.”

Mr Walker also retweeted a string of cabinet minsters and MPs who came out with statements of loyalty to Theresa May.