The Conservatives face renewed criticism of failing to distance themselves from the hard-right Hungarian government after a succession of speakers failed to condemn PM Viktor Orbán during a meeting at the party conference.

Communal leaders and Jewish MPs have repeatedly demanded a tougher stance from Theresa May's party after Conservative MEPs voted against triggering the EU’s most serious disciplinary procedure against Mr Orbán's party, which stands accused of "pandering to antisemitism".

But speaking on Monday, Brexit minister Lord Callanan, the former leader of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)  group insisted there were "difficult lines to draw" when deciding which political parties to team up with in the European Parliament.

The meeting took place on the same day that party heavyweights Michael Gove and Dominic Raab openly criticised Jeremy Corbyn over Labour's antisemtism crisis in speeches from the main conference floor.

In further remarks, Lord Callanan told the packed fringe meeting of the ECR group: "With the phrase far-right....far-right, Nazi, call it what you will...the Nazis were a national democratic socialist party.

"Hitler made no apology for the fact the party was founded on socialist roots.

"Many of those on the so-called far-right are essentially quite left wing in many of their economic arguments

"Of course where they spill over into unacceptability is some of the racist attitudes.

"The decisions over what parties to ally with, what parties to admit, is always quite difficult for all of the parties in the European group."

Lord Callanan added that he first discussed the problem of alliances with far-right groups with former Prime Minister David Cameron. During his 2005 leadership campaign, in order to woo anti-EU members away from fellow leadership contender Liam Fox, Mr Cameron had vowed to withdraw the Conservatives from the mainstream European People’s Party.

The ECR was formed in 2009 but in order to meet the threshold required by the European Parliament it needed to team up with far-right parties across Europe.

Lord Callanan added: "When I was leader of the ECR I had discussions with David Cameron over the same issues - what parties were acceptable and which were not.

"They are quite difficult lines to draw so I will leave it to current members  of the group to do that."

Also speaking at the fringe meeting, which was called Relations with Europe after Brexit, and which was held inside the official Tory conference venue in Birmingham, was Anders Vistisen, leader of the Danish Conservatives in the European Parliament, and a member of rich-wing Danish Peoples Party.

He claimed it would be wrong to "single out"  Viktor Orban's government for particular criticism and defended the ECR's decision not to vote to censure him.

Mr Vistisen said: "Is there problems in Hungary?  Yes, there is problems in Hungary.

"But I think it's better to try to influence them from within than it is trying to teach them how to do things.

"We are only going to confirm the suspicions  of most Hungarians - and what Orban has been telling them for more than 10 years - that Brussels is after us and they are coming to get you and you have to vote for me because I'm standing strong against Brussels."

He insisted that the real far-right problem parties in Europe included Jobbik, who attempted to defeat Mr Orban at the last Hungarian election and Golden Dawn - who he labelled "new fascists."

The Danish politician also poked fun at suggestions he too has dabbled with far-right politics.

He said: "Every time I go on the BBC I'm considered as far-right. The funny thing is I was in Canada two weeks ago with the ECR and I found out Mr Trudeau has a migration policy  that is much tougher than the one in Denmark. That would make Mr Trudeau very far right in British perspectives."

Mr Orbán has repeatedly, used antisemitic language. Much of his recent election campaign was based on attacks on Jewish Hungarian philanthropist George Soros, in language that was designed to highlight his Judaism and, as such, paint him as the enemy of Hungary.

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl accused Mr Orban of "vivid antisemitism" in his campaign around Mr Soros.--