EAST Lancashire's lone Tory MP Nigel Evans today told of his vain 400-mile dash from Scotland to back his embattled leader.

After a catalogue of delays, he missed the crucial vote on gay and unmarried adoption by quarter of an hour and risked being accused of joining rebels trying to undermine Iain Duncan Smith.

While some Conservatives were staging a damaging rebellion and some of Mr Evans' Shadow Cabinet colleagues were staying away from the Commons, the Welsh Affairs spokesman was making a supreme effort to get to Westminster.

His journey of more than 400 miles as the plane flies on Monday should have taken him three hours but took him almost six.

Today, after Mr Duncan Smith told the party to "unite or die'', Mr Evans told of his delayed journey and attacked those senior Tory figures who were undermining Mr Duncan Smith whose leadership took another hammering from the revolt.

Mr Evans said: "I didn't vote because I couldn't make it back to Westminster in time.

"I was in Aberdeen on a Parliamentary trip to learn about the oil industry. I should have been on a rig the following morning but I decided to try and make it back to the Commons to vote with Iain on the issue.

"Because of problems at Aberdeen's Dyce Airport and then getting from Gatwick to Westminster, I missed the vote by 20 minutes. I was going to vote with Iain and I have written to him expressing my support for his stand on adoption and for his leadership."

Mr Evans left the headquarters of Conoco-Phillips -- having apologised to not staying for the rig visit -- at 3.30.

They got him a taxi to his hotel to pack and check out and then on to the airport.

He arrived about 4.30 hoping for an early flight but there wasn't one to Gatwick until the 6.10pm. An alternative flight to Heathrow shortly afterwards was delayed.

The plane arrived slightly early for its 7.40pm arrival time so he was confident of making it to the House of Commons.

But a mix-up at the rail station caused him to miss his shuttle across London.

The next train was delayed outside Victoria and at 8.20pm he was paged to say the crucial vote was taking place at 8.30pm.

He said: "By the time the train had arrived and I had got down Victoria Street in a taxi, it was 8.50pm and I was sadly 20 minutes late. I had really wanted to vote for the leadership.

"I don't understand why some of my Tory colleagues voted against him and attacked his handling of the issue.

"It is not helpful at a time when the press is full of rumours about plotting against Iain."