The Tories' performance in May's local elections should not be used as a barometer of Iain Duncan Smith's leadership, a key ally has warned.

As the party leader launches the main drive for the May elections, Eric Pickles dismissed the latest round of leadership speculation.

Pickles - who helped Duncan Smith's leadership bid - said the party would be happy to secure around 35 seats in the May election.

The former council leader said just 50 would be "a triumph".

"The important thing is that the only people who will be taking it as an important test of Iain's leadership are columnists who don't know the first thing about local government elections," he said.

"We're expecting about 35 because we took some serious Labour seats the last time so to take more will be going on to a higher plateau."

Pickles said the recent crisis over the sacking of two Central Office staff would have no bearing on the result.

"I'm pretty sure that which officials govern Central Office is not going to be that big an issue at the polls. I'm sure it won't," he said.

But he warned that the party would have to show discipline over the coming weeks if it is to avoid the disaster that pundits have been predicting.

"The party does have to learn that unity is of great importance. We're pretty close to Labour in the polls, our local economic competence is going pretty well but where we're scoring pretty badly is whether we're seen as a united party," he said.

"The simple truth is that the party needs to get behind its leader and to work hard."

Some MPs have privately predicted that the infighting will continue whatever the result.

And Pickles is urging his colleagues to resist dashing to the TV studios after polling day.

"It will be a great test of character for the parliamentary party the day after to look, see what's happened, learn the lessons and move on," he said.

Pickles said Conservative MPs will get their chance to quiz the leadership shortly after the election.

"The parliamentary party will be together at the weekend after for a gathering. We will be all together in one place," he said.