Pressure on Cameron as backbench MPs refuse to support him

Cutting it short: Prime Minister David Cameron took time to visit a Nigerian immunisation clinic funded by Britain on his African tour, but is rushing back to the UK

David Cameron today won support from Boris Johnson over the phone hacking scandal - but Tory MPs refused to back him.

The Mayor of London branded the Prime Minister's critics "hysterical and malicious" for claiming his hiring of Andy Coulson reflected badly on his overall judgment.

"David Cameron is doing a first-rate job as PM," Mr Johnson told the Standard. "He is calm under fire, composed and rational in his decisions and it is hysterical and malicious to question his overall judgment on the basis of one hiring years ago."

The Prime Minister today defended his decision to cut short what was supposed to be a five-day trip to Africa and come home this afternoon, rather than flying back to London overnight.

Aides said this will give him time to prepare for tomorrow's statement to the Commons on the hacking affair.

Mr Cameron said: "I will set out all the steps we are going to take to get on top of this situation and this issue of media hacking. I will then push ahead with the vital reforms we need to get Britain back on track."

Mr Johnson sprang to Mr Cameron's defence after appearing yesterday to only give him lukewarm backing as Labour demanded an apology from the Prime Minister for making Mr Coulson his communications chief.

However, Mr Cameron is struggling to secure the support of others in his party. Tory MPs said the Prime Minister was paying the price for ignoring concerns about hiring the former News of the World editor, his handling of the expenses scandal and a failure to "show love" to the party. John Baron said hiring Mr Coulson might have been "an own goal".

Another said privately: "There aren't many of us who think he deserves support. You have to remember there are a few people he has been a bit of a s**t to, particularly over expenses where they feel they were hung out to dry."

Other Tory MPs described Downing Street's handling of the hacking crisis as "deeply alarming" and "back-foot stuff". One said: "This is going to be massive. The water is lapping at David Cameron's ankles. We just do not know yet where it is all going to fall out."

MPs fear the scandal could put the Coalition at risk. One said: "A lot of people are really angry that Andy Coulson was brought into No 10. If you'd asked any of us before we would have said he was tainted goods, stay away."

Mr Cameron's decision to delay Parliament's summer holiday and give a statement tomorrow was also criticised. One MP asked: "Why not just pour more petrol on the fire?"

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