CAROLINE Nokes has said the Prime Minister “must be allowed time to finish her difficult job”.

The words of the Romsey and Southampton North MP come after Theresa May won the confidence vote on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister came under criticism from members of her party for the way she is dealing with Brexit.

But after 200 Tory MPs gave her their support she has now embarked on a fresh round of Brexit diplomacy.

Following the vote, Ms Nokes said: “I am pleased my colleagues in Parliament backed the Prime Minister. She is doing a very difficult job trying to deliver a Brexit for all the people of the UK and must be allowed the time to do that. We must stop the pantomime, get back to work and get on with doing the business of the nation.”

Ahead of the vote, which saw 117 Tory MPs going against the Prime Minister, Ms Nokes had said Ms May is the “best person” to deal with Brexit and added: “Brexit was never going to be easy and we need to back her to deliver on that and our domestic programme. Being PM is a phenomenally difficult job and she is the best person for it.”

Ms May met EU leaders in Brussels yesterday but played down the prospects of an “immediate breakthrough” on the so-called Northern Ireland backstop. She said she would be looking for fresh assurances to help get her Brexit deal “over the line” in Parliament.