The Conservatives will be trying to keep a lid on in-fighting over Europe this week in the wake of last night's election results.

With some MPs thought to be concerned that leader Michael Howard did not take the threat of UKIP seriously enough, long-running feuds could easily re-emerge.

Pressure will be on Howard from the Eurosceptic majority to toughen his stance ahead of the Brussels Council of Ministers summit this week.

However the small but influential pro-Brussels rump, led by Lord Heseltine and Ken Clarke, has already moved to defend itself with an attack on UKIP and a call for calm.