Tory plotter Grant Shapps branded ‘more delusional than Walter Mitty’ over botched No10 coup

TORY plotter Grant Shapps was branded “more delusional than Walter Mitty” over his botched bid to oust Theresa May.

The ex-party chairman was ridiculed by scores of Tory MPs and sources said there was laughter in No10 after it emerged he was the ringleader behind the failed coup.

Party insiders said Mr Shapps was only backed by around 20 MPs, far short of the 48 needed to trigger a leadership contest.

He claimed he had 30, but MP Nadine Dorries mocked: “Diane Abbott must be doing the adding up.”

Tory peer Baroness Warsi said: “My message to Grant Shapps is shut up”.

And senior MP Nigel Evans added: “I think Walter Mitty was more believable than Shapps.”

Mr Shapps, forced out of government two years ago over a bullying scandal, had even claimed “one or two Cabinet ministers wanted her out”.

MPs pointed the finger at sacked pair Nicky Morgan  and David Jones.

Mr Shapps’ backers weret nicknamed The Freezerites, MPs who back former Chancellor George Osborne’s vow not to stop attacking Mrs May until she is “chopped up in bags in my freezer”.

Mrs May’s deputy Damian Green warns in The Sun today in-fighting risks letting Jeremy Corbyn get into No10.