THERESA May has slapped down anonymous Conservative MPs who used violent imagery to describe a possible coup to unseat her.

Weekend newspapers reported Tory backbenchers saying the Prime Minister would be "knifed" and that she should "bring her own noose" to a meeting of the Conservative 1922 Committee on Wednesday to discuss her Brexit plans.

Mrs May’s spokesman made clear she expected those in public life to avoid "dehumanising" and "derogatory" language.

"I don't intend to dignify those specific anonymous comments with a response," the spokesman told a regular Westminster media briefing.

"The PM has always been very clear that we must set a tone in public discourse that is neither dehumanising nor derogatory. Personal vitriol has no place in our politics."

Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister, yesterday hit out at the use of such denigrating language, tweeting: “Few disagree with her more than I do but language like this debases politics. Get a grip, Tories.”

Theresa Villiers, the former Northern Ireland Secretary, expressed concern, saying the comments about the PM were "disturbing".

Labour’s Yvette Cooper urged Tory whips to unmask the Conservative MPs who anonymously used "vile and dehumanising language" towards Mrs May.

The former minister said those responsible were normalising violence at a time when women MPs were facing increasing hostility and little more than two years after Jo Cox was brutally murdered in the street.

"This is vile and dehumanising language towards a woman MP, towards a Prime Minister who, no matter how much you might disagree with her, is someone who is doing a job in public life.

"Nobody should be subject to that kind of violent language which is normalising violence in public debate at a time when we lost Jo Cox, we have had threats against Rosie Cooper, we have had other violent death threats against women MPs.

"It's about time we do know who that Conservative MP who is making these threats because maybe if they use that language they will stop doing so if they are being called out publicly from using that kind of vile and irresponsible language again," insisted the Yorkshire MP, who chairs the Commons Home Affairs Committee.

Brexiteer Mark Francois said the language was "unacceptable" but that he would not tell the Chief Whip Julian Smith how to do his job.

He hit out at a "bunker mentality" in Downing Street, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "The problem is that there is a lot of frustration on the backbenches at the moment, both among Leavers and Remainers, at the general state of play.

"When you try to convey that to Number 10, no-one is listening."

Pro-Remain Tory Anna Soubry attacked him on Twitter afterwards, saying: "I am appalled that my colleague #MarkFrancoisMP failed unequivocally to condemn the disgraceful and dangerous language used by a fellow Conservative MP against the PM @BBCr4today he even tried to excuse it. Shameful."

Her Tory colleague Andrew Bridgen said the language was "unhelpful" and warned his fellow Brexiteers that it risked increasing sympathy and support for the PM.

The Leicestershire MP told Good Morning Britain: "At the moment that [language] is unhelpful. It won't persuade colleagues to back a change of leadership. It's actually going to be counter-productive at this point."

The vicious attacks marked the start of what is expected to be a tough week for Mrs May, with her Tory critics saying they are near to getting the 48 signatures needed to spark a confidence vote.

However, 159 votes would then be needed to automatically trigger a leadership contest. If the PM won, she could not be challenged again for another year.