Theresa May faces a no-confidence vote from the Conservative party after the 1922 Committee received the 48 letters necessary to trigger a vote in her leadership.
Many in her party are unhappy with her Brexit withdrawal agreement and pulling the vote on the deal has angered many MPs.
She will need to secure the votes of 50% of Conservative MPs if she is to stay in power. If she receives 158 out of the 316, she will be safe from challenges for another year.
At 5pm the PM will address her party in private. Between 6pm and 8pm tonight, Conservative MPs will vote in a secret ballot in the House of Commons. Votes will be counted immediately afterwards and the result announced as soon as possible, likely between 9pm and 10pm.
If she loses, Conservative MPs can put themselves forward for party leader, with rounds of voting whittling down contenders until two remain.
The winner will be decided by the Tory membership in an open vote.
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By GlobalDataThis morning the Prime Minister appeared before Downing Street to warn that the no-confidence vote could lead to Brexit being stopped altogether.
Here’s who’s backing Theresa May in the no-confidence vote so far:
Cabinet
Unsurprisingly, considering the cabinet is traditionally made up of a prime minister’s closest allies, all of the cabinet has come out to publicly support the Prime Minister.
Philip Hammond
The Prime Minister has worked hard in the National interest since the day she took office and will have my full support in the vote tonight. Her deal means we leave the EU on time, whist protecting our jobs and our businesses.
— Philip Hammond (@PhilipHammondUK) December 12, 2018
Jeremy Hunt
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
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) December 12, 2018
Sajid Javid
The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) December 12, 2018
Stephen Barclay
I fully support the PM. This is a crucial stage with weeks to go before we leave the EU. We need to back @theresa_may and deliver the referendum result. The PM is working in our national interest and this distraction risks damaging uncertainty.
— Steve Barclay MP (@SteveBarclay) December 12, 2018
David Gauke
Just about to appear on @BBCr4today. Theresa May will have my full support. Removing her would be self indulgent and irresponsible.
— David Gauke (@DavidGauke) December 12, 2018
Matt Hancock
I’m voting for the Prime Minister tonight and urge all colleagues to do the same. We should all be focussed on coming together for the sake of the future of the country
— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) December 12, 2018
Michael Gove
I am backing the Prime Minister 100% – and I urge every Conservative MP to do the same. She is battling hard for our country and no one is better placed to ensure we deliver on the British people’s decision to leave the EU.
— Michael Gove (@michaelgove) December 12, 2018
Gavin Williamson
The Prime Minister has my full support. She works relentlessly hard for our country and is the best person to make sure we leave the EU on 29 March and continue to deliver our domestic agenda.
— Gavin Williamson MP (@GavinWilliamson) December 12, 2018
Damian Hinds
Let’s all get behind @Theresa_May to complete the job on brexit and keep on delivering on jobs & growth and tackling injustices. A leadership challenge does nothing to secure brexit, and is the last thing our country, or the party, needs at this critical time.
— Damian Hinds (@DamianHinds) December 12, 2018
Liam Fox
I will support the Prime Minister @theresa_may tonight. This is a totally inappropriate time to have a contest. The country expects us to provide stability not damaging division.
— Dr Liam Fox MP (@LiamFox) December 12, 2018
Greg Clark
I admire the grit and determination the Prime Minister has shown and I strongly support her. The last thing businesses across our country need at this crucial time is even more uncertainty. I hope all my colleagues will join me & back @theresa_may
— Greg Clark (@GregClarkMP) December 12, 2018
James Brokenshire
Strongly support @theresa_may to continue as Leader of @Conservatives and Prime Minister. Now is not the time for this distraction and even more uncertainty. We need to get behind the Prime Minister in the best interests of our country.
— James Brokenshire (@JBrokenshire) December 12, 2018
Penny Mordaunt
The Prime Minister has my full support, not least because she has always done what she firmly believes is in the national interest. Our country needs us all to fight for a good deal and prepare for a no deal senario. All eyes and hands should be on that task.
— Penny Mordaunt MP (@PennyMordaunt) December 12, 2018
Amber Rudd
The PM has my full support. At this critical time we need to support and work with the PM to deliver on leaving the EU, & our domestic agenda – ambitious for improvements to people’s lives & to build on growth of wages & jobs.
— Amber Rudd MP (@AmberRuddHR) December 12, 2018
David Mundell
PM has my full support. A leadership contest is the last thing we need. The public want us to sort #Brexit now!
— David Mundell (@DavidMundellDCT) December 12, 2018
Alun Cairns
I am giving my full support to @theresa_may who has always put the national interest first. We need to honour the outcome of the referendum and support the PM to deliver Brexit on 29 March 2019.
— Alun Cairns (@AlunCairns) December 12, 2018
Karen Bradley
Staffordshire Moorlands MP and NI Secretary Karen Bradley announces that she will be backing Theresa May in this evening’s confidence vote pic.twitter.com/8plpozSbKb
— Phil Corrigan (@PhilC2010) December 12, 2018
Chris Grayling
Cabinet minister Chris Grayling supports PM, appeals to Brexiter backbenchers… pic.twitter.com/isY1U5UViB
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) December 12, 2018
Jeremy Wright is also backing May, saying:
“I will be supporting the Prime Minister tonight. Not only because she deserves that support but also because the country does not need this distraction right now. The Prime Minister has focussed entirely on the national interest. I hope my colleagues will too.”
Who else has publicly backed Theresa May?
Andrea Leadsom
Vital to support @theresa_may today. She is working hard in the interest of the U.K. to get a good Brexit deal and she has my full support.
— Andrea Leadsom MP (@andrealeadsom) December 12, 2018
Brandon Lewis
I fully back our Prime Minister. We have the right Leader of our Party, we have a duty to deliver for our country & I hope all my colleagues will join me & support @theresa_may to deliver for UK.
— Brandon Lewis (@BrandonLewis) December 12, 2018
Steve Brine
I will be supporting the Prime Minister in tonight’s confidence vote. This is about the national interest not personalities and naked ambition. Theresa May has the most difficult job imaginable and I think, whatever your view of Brexit, this is a time to stand together.
— Steve Brine MP (@BrineMP) December 12, 2018
David Lidington
@theresa_may has my full support. On the difficult & complex EU negotiations she has always put the national interest first.
— David Lidington (@DLidington) December 12, 2018
Paul Scully
I'll be supporting the PM today. The light at the tunnel that some people are seeing is a train coming fast the other way #focusonthecountry
— Paul Scully MP (@scullyp) December 12, 2018
Oliver Letwin
Now is not the time to change leader. I shall be supporting the PM wholeheartedly.
— Oliver Letwin (@oletwinofficial) December 12, 2018
Liz Truss
I fully support the Prime Minister and believe it would be completely wrong to have a leadership election now. She is the right person to deliver Brexit and has shown herself to be strong and determined.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) December 12, 2018
Alan Mak
Prime Minister @Theresa_May has my support and I will be voting for her tonight at this crucial period for our country.
— Alan Mak MP (@AlanMakMP) December 12, 2018
In all, around 70 MPs have so far publicly backed Theresa May, but the list is constantly growing.
Meanwhile, Pound Sterling rallied against the dollar and euro in response to the news of the no-confidence vote being triggered.