David Davis has dismissed questions over the Prime Minister's leadership as "unbelievably self indulgent" as he sought to move the conversation to leaving the European Union, after a bruising election result.

Theresa May is facing a difficult meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee later on Monday after losing her Commons majority in last week's election.

Senior Tories have moved to back Mrs May despite rumblings over whether she could remain in her role, with former chancellor George Osborne saying she was a "dead woman walking".

Theresa May

The Brexit Secetary insisted he was loyal to Mrs May, telling ITV's Good Morning Britain: "There is a distinction between running a campaign and running a country.

"Running a country is more difficult and she's formidably good at that.

"That's what you are going to see, you are going to see in the next few weeks her taking back command, her taking back the reins, her showing the world what she's good at which is delivering for the country.

"She's done it before, she'll do it again. That's why she's going to be there probably for my career."

Asked about speculation, he said: "It's a complete waste of people's time, it is just unbelievably self indulgent."

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On Brexit, he said the Government would try to get a free trade area "as close to the single market" as possible, but it could not remain within the single market due to the need to control the UK borders.

He said: "We've made pretty plain what we want to do, it's outside the single market but with access.

"It's outside the customs union but with agreement, it's taking back control of our laws and borders.

"Those things are fundamental and we didn't just pull them out of the air, we spent 10 months devising that strategy."

Mr Davis also moved to reassure voters that a potential deal between the Tories and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) would not change UK law on issues the Northern Irish party has concerns about such as abortion or gay rights.

Pressed on whether he could guarantee these rights, he told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "Clearly. We are the Conservative Party.

"David Cameron introduced gay marriage, for example, there's a whole series of things we did, Turing's law, you know, the repeal of the effect of the convictions against people for homosexual acts, which were silly, a different era.

"Those things will stay on the statute book. What we have done, we will keep."

Securing the rights of UK citizens in Europe and EU citizens in the UK will be a key priority when the Brexit negotiations begin next week, alongside the divorce bill and Northern Ireland, Mr Davis told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He said: "Of those, the one (EU citizens) that is hyper-sensitive on time because it relates to people's anxiety, you've got people worrying in Britain that they can't stay here. You've got people worrying in Spain that they aren't going to be able to stay there.

"The worries are unnecessary and they shouldn't have them but we want to make sure they are dealt with as quickly as possible."

Mr Davis said retaining the single market and controlling the UK's borders was "not compatible", which he insisted had been made clear during the referendum campaign.

Ministers have prepared a contingency in case they cannot negotiate a good deal with Brussels, he said, adding: "We have worked up that alternative in some detail, we are still working on it, not because we want to but in Government you have to, if you are responsible, work up every contingency."

He admitted backing plans for the snap election but said it was the "height of self indulgence" for the party to focus on blaming each other for the result.

Mr Davis, who kept his job in the Cabinet reshuffle, also welcomed the news of former justice secretary Michael Gove's return to the front bench, saying: "He's a formidable talent. I'm happy to see him back."