Mid Sussex Conservative MP Nicholas Soames has warned colleagues that his party "look like bloody fools" under Iain Duncan Smith's leadership.

In a damning indictment on the state of the party, he claimed it would be "much more exciting" under Michael Portillo.

The MP spoke out just as the vicious infighting - started by the purge of Portillo-supporting modernisers from Central Office - appeared to be petering out.

Mr Soames, a former armed forces minister, said the changes had created an "unwelcome, foolish and unnecessary distraction".

He added: "If your management skills are so minor that you can't even shuffle the furniture without causing an earthquake, things are very wrong.

"A lot of Conservative MPs and a lot of our supporters are fed up with consistently being made to look like bloody fools. What has happened in the past few days is a disaster for us."

Mr Soames also defended last week's outburst against Tory leader Mr Duncan Smith by Mr Portillo, who accused his former rival of surrounding himself with "short grasses" - raising the prospect of a leadership challenge.

This prompted retaliation from Mr Duncan Smith's inner circle, who labelled Mr Portillo "insane", "a cancer" and "self-indulgent to the point of madness".

But Mr Soames said: "It was stupid to attack him because everything he said was correct. It may not be very helpful but it's true. The language used about Michael was atrocious.

"If Michael was leader there is no doubt we would have a much more exciting party and would appeal to the young."

Mr Soames also defended party chairman Theresa May, who was rumoured to be facing the sack last month.

The MP said the undermining of her was "very bad leadership".

Last week, Horsham MP Francis Maude said infighting was destroying the Conservative party.

The former shadow foreign secretary said the briefing between Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith's advisers and rival camps must stop.

Horsham MP Mr Maude added: "The Conservative party needs to go and lie down in a darkened room for a period and gather itself together."