A Tory MP today accused Boris Johnson's Government of 'blackmail' and of 'threatening' rebel Conservative MPs over the Prime Minister's leadership.
William Wragg, MP for Hazel Grove, made a brief statement at a meeting of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee - and urged his 'colleagues' to make statements to police.
The committee oversees the work of the cabinet office, including No 10, and he's the chair.
Mr Wragg claimed a 'number of MPs' had faced 'pressures and intimation from members of the government because of their declared or assumed desire for a vote of confidence in the party leadership of the Prime Minister'.
And he claimed Number 10 had threatened to withdraw 'investments' from MPs' constituencies because of their opposition to the Prime Minister.
No 10, meanwhile, said in response any evidence would be looked at 'very carefully'.
Mr Johnson said he had seen "no evidence to support any of those allegations”.
Mr Wragg said: "In recent days a number of members of parliament have faced pressures and intimation from members of the government because of their declared or assumed desire for a vote of confidence in the party leadership of the Prime Minister.
"It is of course the duty of the government whips' office to secure the government's business in the House of Commons.
"However, it is not their function to breach the ministerial code in threatening to withdraw investments from members of parliament's constituencies which are funded from the public purse.
"Additionally reports to me and others of members of staff at Number Ten Downing Street, special advisers, government ministers and others encouraging the publication of stories in the press seeking to embarrass those who they suspect of lacking confidence in the Prime Minister is solely unacceptable.
"The intimidation of a member of Parliament is a serious matter.
"Moreover, reports of which I am aware would seem to constitute blackmail.
"As such it would be my general advice to colleagues to report these matters to the speaker of the House of Commons and the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police."
Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey accused Mr Johnson of "acting like a mafia boss".
Mr Davey told Parliament: "It is simply remarkable that a Prime Minister could countenance scrapping local projects and funding if MPs refuse to back him.
"All Boris Johnson cares about is saving his own skin. He’s acting more like a mafia boss than a Prime Minister."
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said the Tory party 'continues to descend further into chaos of its own making'.
Responding to Mr Wragg's claims, she said: "These are grave and shocking accusations of bullying, blackmail and misuse of public money, and must be investigated thoroughly.
"The idea that areas of our country will be starved of funding because their MPs don't fall into line to prop up this failing Prime Minister is disgusting."
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said it would be a 'contempt' to obstruct MPs in doing their duties by trying to 'intimidate' them.
He told MPs today: "There is clear process in raising privileged matters and referring them for investigation to determine whether the conduct in question is a contempt.
"In the first instance, members raising such concerns should write to me and I hope these general observations would assist the House going forward."
A No 10 spokesman said: "We are not aware of any evidence to support what are clearly serious allegations.
"If there is any evidence to support these claims we would look at it very carefully."
