TORY MPs in Dorset and the New Forest have backed David Cameron to remain as Prime Minister amid calls for him to resign.

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries announced on television yesterday that she had had called for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister.

Speaking on ITV’s Peston on Sunday, Ms Dorries revealed that she had already submitted her letter to the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee declaring no confidence in the Prime Minister.

She also confirmed she was supporting Boris Johnson to succeed Mr Cameron.

In order to trigger a confidence vote, 50 Tory MPs have to write to the committee's chairman.

Chris Chope, MP for Christchurch, said: "We should be concentrating on the main issues surrounding the EU debate not some sideshow about a leadership battle.

"I would like the Prime Minister to explain how he can keep his manifesto promise to keep annual net migration in the tens of thousands unless we leave the EU.

"If he's got a bad deal and he therefore can't keep that promise if we remain, then he should just admit that.

"His failure to do so is causing a lot of resentment towards him.

"But if the leave campaign does win then I would be happy for him to stay on because he would be honour-bound to get us the best deal possible."

New Forest West MP Desmond Swayne denied Ms Dorries' claims that a "considerable" number of Tory MPs shared her view.

Despite backing the 'leave' campaign, he said he was a "big supporter of Mr Cameron".

"I don't think he will need to stand down if we vote to leave the EU and I think the majority of the party will still want him to lead them," said Mr Swayne.

Leave campaigner Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West, said Ms Dorries had been a long-time critic of the prime minister and the chancellor.

"Most of us are much more interested in debating the issues rather than a personal vendetta against the PM," he added.

"If everyone in the Conservative Party and the Labour Party agreed on everything then we wouldn't have the need for a referendum at all.

"Mr Cameron is the one who has delivered this referendum and if we vote to leave then there will be some very big negotiations to get involved in.

"We will need stability and the one person who will provide that is David Cameron."

Mr Cameron has said he will step down as Tory leader before the 2020 general election.