Liz Truss must apologise to the British people as her calamitous economic plans have left the public "frightened", a top Tory has said.
Education Committee chairman Robert Halfon accused his party of acting like "libertarian jihadists" and treating the country like "laboratory mice" for their hard line policies.
In a blistering intervention, Mr Halfon said the crisis-hit PM needed to perform a "dramatic reset" in the coming days.
He told Sky News: "I worry that over the last few weeks the government has looked like libertarian jihadists and treated the whole country as laboratory mice to carry out ultra, ultra free market experiments. And this is not where the country is.
"There's been one horror story after another."
Tax cuts for the rich, cuts to benefits and reports of looming charges for hospital parking are "not what the public wants", he said.
Mr Halfon said: "I really believe that the PM, given everything that has gone on, needs to set out in a fireside chat with the British people, apologise for what's gone on and set out a vision for compassionate Conservatism with social justice at its heart."
Asked if the PM should lead the Tories into the election, he said: "At this time, I'm not calling for the Prime Minister to go.
"I worry about further political instability, but even more economic instability. But things have to improve.
"Because if things don't change, I just think that perhaps things may not be able to carry on in the way that they have been."
Mr Halfon described negative briefings that Liz Truss said his long-time friend Sajid Javid was s*** were "disgusting".
The Sunday Times reported that Ms Truss dismissed the idea of the former Chancellor as a replacement for sacked Kwasi Kwarteng - a role that has now gone to Jeremy Hunt.
He said : "The briefings that have come out using four-letter words to describe Sajid Javid, I've known him since university, he's a really good man, he was respected.
"He didn't tank the economy when he was Chancellor and if the Prime Minister wants to unite the party and get people around her, then these kind of negative briefings about colleagues have got to stop."
