Cameron’s claim that Brexit would lead to a Calais-style ‘Jungle’ on our shores because France would end co-operation with Britain has gone down like a cup of cold sick with Tory backbenchers:

(1/2) Sad and disappointed to see our Prime Minister stoop to this level of scaremongering #Calais @David_Cameron @Number10gov #EUref #EU

— Dr Liam Fox MP (@LiamFoxMP) February 8, 2016

(2/2) especially as he knows the #Calais agreement is nothing to do with the #EU and agreed between the two govts @David_Cameron #EUref

— Dr Liam Fox MP (@LiamFoxMP) February 8, 2016

It is simply not credible to claim that EU cooperation on security issues would end in the event of #Brexit

— Sarah Wollaston MP (@sarahwollaston) February 8, 2016

Ratcheting up the alarmist rhetoric on security by project fear 'in' campaign will backfire; people don't like to be be taken for fools

— Sarah Wollaston MP (@sarahwollaston) February 8, 2016

Shoots down Remain scaremongering in which No 10 breaches Cabinet Collective Responsibility…again https://t.co/hCPMLooulL

— Stewart Jackson MP (@Stewart4Pboro) February 8, 2016

Another senior Tory MP texts:

“This scaremongering has to stop. No. 10 is stooping to new lows and if it weren’t so serious, it would be laughable. Haven’t they heard of the English Channel?”

Expect plenty more backbench derision by the end of the day…

UPDATE: David Davis has this to say:

“As the argument slips away from the Remain campaign they are forced to rely on desperate scaremongering…It is the failed EU immigration policy that has created the ‘Jungle’ camp near Calais. The idea that leaving the EU would give us less control of our borders is simply preposterous.”

John Baron:

“Unfortunately I think he’s resorting to panic and scaremongering. I think No 10 is a little bit in panic mode. We must have a positive debate. Unfortunately we seem to be in Project Fear at the moment.”

Bernard Jenkin:

“Why on earth would the PM allow refugee camps in Kent? It would be a very strange thing to do. I cannot believe this is his policy. I think he is just trying to scare people.”

Dan Hannan said:

“This has nothing to do with the EU. By linking the two issues, the PM invites us to believe that our European partners would be motivated by nastiness in the event of Britain leaving. Even if France bizarrely decided to damage its own interests and terminate the Le Touquet Treaty, there would still be no jungle in Dover, just as there is none currently at Heathrow.”