Rishi Sunak has been warned he has six months to get a “grip” of his party as Tory MPs mount a double revolt over planning laws.
The Prime Minister scrapped a debate tomorrow where one camp of rebels wants to end an effective ban on onshore wind farms - while another fights to scrap housebuilding targets.
But the Levelling-Up Bill is expected back in Parliament in early December - bringing both issues to a showdown before Christmas.
Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove - who is thought to back ending the wind farms ban in a Cabinet split - held "constructive" talks with Tory MPs over the weekend.
Sources did not rule out a climbdown. But it's thought the wind farms amendment would not be accepted by No10 in its current form. And any compromise the PM makes could enrage another part of the party.
More than 50 Tories have signed an amendment to ban mandatory house-building targets.
But they were condemned by three ex-Cabinet ministers including Sajid Javid - who warned a generation could “turn its back on the politicians who failed them” over new homes.
Meanwhile Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and COP26 President Alok Sharma all backed an amendment that would end the effective ban on onshore wind farms.
But other Tory MPs oppose wind farms, fearing a local backlash.
A government source said Michael Gove had made no decisions and further talks will happen this week.
Ex-Tory chairman Jake Berry - who also backs ending the wind farms ban - today warned Mr Gove's position “spells real danger” and could be the "first crack in the wall”.
He told the BBC : “On colleagues’ morale, I think the government’s got quite a narrow window to grip some of these issues and prove we are competent to the British public.
“There’s only 18 months, really, until the next general election … [And in] the last 12 months no-one is really listening, it’s all about the election campaign. So we’ve got about six months to get this right.”
On planning, more than 30 Tory MPs also signed a string of amendments that would let councils ban development on greenfield land or near power pylons and restrict new Airbnbs.
Tory Theresa Villiers, who is leading the planning amendments, complained Tory MPs “have felt that our constituencies are under siege”.
She told Sky News: “Of course, we need new homes but they need to be the right homes in the right places and they need to be supported by appropriate infrastructure.”
Simon Clarke, who is leading the amendment to allow onshore wind farms, said: "We should drop our blanket ban on onshore wind, and let communities decide. It cuts bills, cuts emissions and strengthens our energy security."
