No Confidence Vote In Theresa May Triggered By Tory MPs

12 December 2018, 07:44 | Updated: 12 December 2018, 08:03

The threshold of 48 Tory MPs needed to trigger a vote of no confidence in Theresa May has been reached.

Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee has confirmed that a ballot will be held this evening.

Sir Graham's letter read: "The threshold of 15% of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded.

"In accordance with the rules, a ballot will be held between 1800 and 2000 on Wednesday 12th December in committee room 14 of the House of Commons. The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and an announcement will be made as soon as possible in the evening."

Theresa May needs 159 Conservative MPs to back her to win the vote of no confidence.

However, LBC's Political Editor Theo Usherwood revealed that if more than 100 of her Tory colleagues vote against her, then her position is likely to become untenable.

If she loses the vote, that will trigger a leadership contest.

Moments after news of the vote was announced, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt tweeted: "I am backing @theresa_may tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest.

"Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29."

In a joint statement the chairman of the European Research Group Jacob Rees-Mogg and his deputy Steve Baker said: "Theresa May's plan would bring down the Government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it.

"Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go."