Labour is working to lure more Tory MPs away from Boris Johnson as the Prime Minister faces an anxious wait for the knife-edge Partygate report.
Several potential defectors are being wooed by the party in the aftermath of Christian Wakeford’s bombshell switch, it is understood.
Sources warned against any imminent defection - but one suggested there could be a breakthrough in future.
The source said the "door is always open", adding: “I’m not expecting an imminent second one - but that doesn’t mean there won’t be one.
“We’ll have to see what happens over the next few weeks.”
The PM’s position temporarily stabilised following Mr Wakeford’s dramatic decision, with claims some no-confidence letters had been withdrawn.
Backbench MP Andrew Percy said Mr Wakeford’s defection had “kind of made people a bit more relaxed, it's calmed nerves”.
He added: “I think people have recognised that actually this constant navel gazing and internal debating is only to the advantage of our political opponents.
“The Prime Minister is probably thanking Christian for what he did because it's made a lot of people think again, think twice."
But Mr Wakeford was in talks with Labour for months, pre-dating Partygate after he privately voiced concerns about the direction of the government.
And today’s Tory unity may just be a stay of execution as No10 braces for next week’s make-or-break investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
Senior Tory William Wragg, who has already called for Mr Johnson to quit, today accused government figures of 'blackmail' to persuade MPs to stay loyal.
Veteran Tories could seal Mr Johnson’s fate next week after the report is published.
Insiders fear it will not fully clear the PM. "It's not going to be as good as people think,” a Government source told the Times.
“She's genuinely struggling to reconcile the Prime Minister's claim that this was a work event with what she's been hearing from other people.
“It's very difficult for her."
One Labour source said: “There are obviously a number of people on the Tory benches who are feeling uncomfortable with their current position, and reflecting on whether they’re in the right.
“It’s a massive show of confidence in the Labour Party that someone who’s been in the Conservative Party can see this is a party serious about government.”
But they warned against any imminent new defections and said: “Other people have expressed dissatisfaction with where they are but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll cross the floor - it takes a tremendous amount of courage to do that.”
A second source said: “I don’t think there’s any imminently because it’s such a big political thing.
“The first one is the hardest - no one doing it for 15 years creates a kind of aura about it that’s quite hard to break. But it’s a big thing to do regardless... I’m not aware of anyone whose headspace is ‘I’m in the wrong party’.”
Health Secretary Sajid Javid desperately tried to shore up the PM, saying he thought Mr Johnson was secure in his post - despite calls from some Tory MPs for him to resign over Downing Street lockdown parties.
Asked if the PM was "safe in his job", Mr Javid said: "Yes, I think he is. At the same time, people are right to be angered and pained about what they have seen and they have heard. I share that anger and pain.
“I think it is right that there is a proper investigation going on that will establish the facts and that the Prime Minister will come back to Parliament and properly respond."
Mr Javid called for Mr Wakeford to trigger a by-election in his Bury South seat.
Mr Javid admitted David Davis's call for the PM to quit was "damaging" for Mr Johnson.
The former Brexit Secretary quoted from the 1940 Norway Debate when he urged Mr Johnson to stand aside, telling him "In the name of God, go".
Mr Javid conceded: "It is damaging, of course it is."
The Health Secretary also said that if Mr Johnson was found to have broken the law he would have to go.
"The Ministerial Code is very clear. If any minister from the Prime Minister down breaks the law, of course they shouldn't continue to serve as a minister," he said.
"What I have just said is a general rule that applies to everyone. There is no exception to that rule." He admitted the scandal had damaged UK democracy.
"If there were people at the heart of government who were not following the rules, absolutely they should be disciplined and I look forward to seeing that disciplinary action taking place," he said.
"We do now know there were some parties. We know that because some of the people that were involved and broke the rules have come forward to say so. Of course things like this damage our democracy.”
