BLOWN APART; Tories in civil war over Cameron's leadership.

Byline: By OONAGH BLACKMAN Political Editor

THE Tories were descending into civil war yesterday over David Cameron's leadership.

Party activists attacked him as a "control freak" and a toff who believes he is "born to rule".

A survey showed 73 per cent of party supporters back grammar schools - in defiance of his U-turn on a policy they see as an act of faith.

And former party chairman Lord Tebbit accused him of rebranding the Tories as "the party to implement New Labour policies more effectively.

"God knows there is need of a party to do that but I thought it was Labour."

The row began when Mr Cameron backed education spokesman David Willetts for saying grammar schools fuel social division and discriminate against the poor.

Former leader Michael Howard was so angry last week he had to be talked out of publicly attacking Mr Cameron.

Supporters bombarded Conservative websites with hostile comments yesterday, branding Mr Cameron "naive" and saying he is "cracking under pressure".

One said: "This is going to split the party even more than Europe and he needs to pull back now."

Another said: "It is just driving the activists to seize control." Mr Cameron hit back: "I lead, I don't follow my party." The change was a "key test" of whether they were fit for government or a "right-wing debating society".

He added: "I don't go round picking fights. This is the direction which we must go to deliver the aspiration, the opportunity and the social mobility all Conservatives feel passionate about."

He backtracked on calling supporters of grammar schools "delusional". He said: "I am not insulting people, I don't want to destroy good schools."

Meanwhile gaffe-prone Tory Boris Johnson angered grieving friends of student Gavin Britton, 19, who died in a boozy initiation game.

Exeter university's Athletic Union later banned binge drinking games. But Johnson accused it of a "panic ban", telling student newspaper Exepose the club "should get a grip".

Its head Richard Soddy said Johnson "should be supporting the positive outcomes of this tragic incident".

TAX exile Tory billionaire Lord Laidlaw is to take leave of absence from the Lords rather than obey a Lords Appointment Commission order to pay his taxes for the three years since he became a peer.

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CAPTION(S):

KABOOM WAR: Willetts, Johnson, Cameron, Tebbit, and Howard