Theresa May's chief of staff has flounced out of a Tory WhatsApp group in protest at the constant attacks on his boss.
Gavin Barwell proclaimed "frankly I have had enough of it" before storming out of the group chat for Conservatives in his home area of Croydon.
According to a leaked screenshot, he told local Tories it "hurts" to work 19 hour days, only to check Whatsapp and find Tory attacks "of the kind from our worst opponents".
The message, which Tory Bible ConservativeHome said it genuine, emerged as Theresa May faced fresh calls to quit after losing 1,269 council seats.
The worst local election results since 1995 heap new pressure on the PM, who already faces mutiny over plans for a compromise Brexit deal with Labour .
Mrs May has promised angry Tories she will resign after her deal - the first phase of Brexit - is safely approved by MPs.
But Record number of Tory members think Theresa May should quit as Prime Minister and Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Treasurer of Tory MPs' 1922 Committee, said she must leave in the coming months whether it's approved or not.
Record number of Tory members think Theresa May should quit as Prime Minister
Sir Geoffrey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Soon after [EU elections on May 23] would be time for her to think about setting a schedule to find her successor - regardless of whether there’s a deal or not.
"It’s time we should move on as Conservatives.
“We have to set out our stall... in order to be able to come up with a manifesto for the next election that we’re likely to win.
"And I think that does involve a change of leadership.”
Details were leaked over the weekend of a possible offer from Theresa May to Labour in cross-party Brexit talks.
According to reports, she will stop short of Labour's call for a full permanent customs union with the EU - instead offering a temporary one to 2022.
Local election results in full: Summary of all 248 council polls across England
Local election results explained: Tories lose over 1,100 of seats as Labour struggle
But the leak incensed Labour. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said he did not trust the PM and insisted Labour still wants a "permanent" customs deal.
Meanwhile the compromise enraged Tory MPs, with 1922 Committee secretary Nigel Evans warning "more than 100" could never support a customs union.
Ex-MP Gavin Barwell became Mrs May's chief of staff in 2017 after voters booted him out of marginal seat Croydon Central.
He lost by 5,652 votes to Labour despite writing a book called How To Win a Marginal Seat and showing hundreds of potential voters round Parliament, boasting: "The personal vote was enough to get over the line."
His WhatsApp message was leaked online by an anonymous Twitter account called 'Croydon Tory'. ConservativeHome said it was by Mr Barwell.
According to the leaked message he wrote: "What hurts is working 18 or 19 hour days and then coming on a WhatsApp group whose members are meant to be supporters of the party to find your boss being subjected to attacks of the worst kind I would expect from our worst opponents.
"And frankly I have had enough of it and have better ways to spend my time.
"So you win. Hope you're pleased with yourself."
He then left the group, according to the screenshot.
