TORONTO -- Divisions within Ontario's Progressive Conservative caucus over the party's leader appear to be widening as a longtime MPP chastised two of his colleagues for calling on Tim Hudak to submit to a leadership review.
Tory house leader Jim Wilson says it's just a "sideshow" from a small group who "need their heads examined" if they think it's helping the party.
He says some people can't understand that they didn't win the leadership -- an apparent reference to Frank Klees and Randy Hillier, who ran against Hudak in 2009.
Both MPPs have said that Hudak should confront his opponents head-on and allow a leadership vote to silence disgruntled Tories.
Wilson says apart from a few individuals, everyone in caucus supports Hudak, who deserves their loyalty.
He says Klees and Hillier are "misguided" but shouldn't be kicked out of caucus.
Wilson dismissed suggestions that the rebellion among some Tory party members isn't undermining the Opposition's efforts to draw attention to Liberal scandals.
Some Tories are upset the party took only one of five Liberal seats up for grabs in the Aug. 1 byelections, after losing the longtime Tory seat of Kitchener in a 2012 byelection and blowing a huge lead heading into the 2011 general election.
Both Hillier and Klees have said it would be a mistake for Hudak to ignore party members who want a leadership review, which Hudak has flatly dismissed.
Conservative operative Nick Kouvalis has also called on Hudak to submit to a vote, tweeting that the people around the leader are "incompetent."
"I want Tim to clean house and get elected," he tweeted.
Hudak noted that he got 78 per cent support from the mandatory leadership review after the Tories lost the 2011 election, and said he's not willing to agree to face another vote in September.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is one of several high-profile Conservatives who have come out in defence of Hudak's leadership.
