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Theresa May to face vote of no confidence from Tory MPs Theresa May to face vote of no confidence from Tory MPs
(about 1 hour later)
UK Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of confidence in her leadership later on Wednesday.UK Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of confidence in her leadership later on Wednesday.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Mrs May said: "I will contest that vote with everything I have got."Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Mrs May said: "I will contest that vote with everything I have got."
She said a new prime minister would have to scrap or extend Article 50, the mechanism taking Britain out of the EU on 29 March, "delaying or even stopping Brexit".She said a new prime minister would have to scrap or extend Article 50, the mechanism taking Britain out of the EU on 29 March, "delaying or even stopping Brexit".
Conservative MPs will vote from 18:00 GMT to 20:00 GMT.Conservative MPs will vote from 18:00 GMT to 20:00 GMT.
A result is expected an hour or so later. A result is expected fairly quickly after the voting finishes.
The BBC's Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg said a delay to Brexit was "a vital part of the case the prime minister's supporters will be making" as she faces the confidence vote.The BBC's Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg said a delay to Brexit was "a vital part of the case the prime minister's supporters will be making" as she faces the confidence vote.
Mrs May said changing Conservative leader would "put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it".Mrs May said changing Conservative leader would "put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it".
"A leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the Parliamentary arithmetic. How does the confidence vote work?
"Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest," she said in her statement. It is thought the result of the secret ballot could be announced within minutes of voting finishing, with Mrs May needing to get a majority of the votes cast by the 315 Tory MPs to win it.
If that happens she cannot be challenged as Conservative leader for at least another year.
If Mrs May does not win the vote there would then be a Conservative leadership contest in which she could not stand.
If Mrs May won - but not overwhelmingly - she may decide to stand down as party leader and trigger a leadership contest in which she could not stand.
What Theresa May has said
In her statement delivered early on Wednesday morning, Mrs May said: "A leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the Parliamentary arithmetic.
"Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest."
She said she was making progress in her talks with EU leaders and vowed to "deliver on the referendum vote and seize the opportunities that lie ahead".She said she was making progress in her talks with EU leaders and vowed to "deliver on the referendum vote and seize the opportunities that lie ahead".
The Conservatives had to build a "country that works for everyone" and deliver "the Brexit people voted for", she said. The Conservatives had to build a "country that works for everyone" and deliver "the Brexit people voted for".
"I have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since I became prime minister and I stand ready to finish the job.""I have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since I became prime minister and I stand ready to finish the job."
The challenge to Mrs May's position comes after the required 48 letters calling for a contest were delivered. Will there be a new prime minister if she loses the vote?
One of those who submitted a letter, former minister Owen Paterson, said: "She is sadly determined to stick to her deal which is not going to get through the House of Commons, and worse, if it did get through the House of Commons, she would lose the support of the DUP, which triggers a general election." Not immediately. She would be expected to stay on as a caretaker prime minister until a new Conservative leader is selected by the party, a process that could take up to six weeks.
Mrs May, who has been prime minister since shortly after the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016, has faced criticism in her party for the Brexit plan she has negotiated.
It is thought the result of the secret ballot could be announced as soon as 21:00 GMT - Mrs May needs to get a majority in her favour to win it.
If that happens she cannot be challenged for at least another year.
If Mrs May does not win the vote there would then be a Conservative leadership contest in which she could not stand.
There is also an option that even if Mrs May won - but not overwhelmingly - she may decide to stand down as party leader.
Because the Conservative Party is the largest party in the House of Commons, whoever is leader of the party would be expected to be prime minister.
If Mrs May is ousted as Conservative leader later she would be expected to stay on as a caretaker prime minister until a new leader is selected by the party, a process that could take six weeks.
If there are multiple candidates, Conservative MPs hold a series of votes to choose two to go forward to a vote of party members.If there are multiple candidates, Conservative MPs hold a series of votes to choose two to go forward to a vote of party members.
As leader of the largest party in the Commons, the new Conservative leader would then be expected to be asked to form a government and become prime minister, without a general election.
AnalysisAnalysis
By BBC Political Editor Laura KuenssbergBy BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg
The prime minister who promised she would be strong and stable is instead at the top of a party that looks weak and chaotic at a vital time. The prime minister that promised she would be strong and stable is instead at the top of a party that looks weak and chaotic at a vital time.
She's in this position, her critics say, because of the choices and missteps she has made.She's in this position, her critics say, because of the choices and missteps she has made.
But her supporters would say it was because for some people in the Tory party who have had years of fury about Europe, nothing would ever have been good enough.But her supporters would say it was because for some people in the Tory party who have had years of fury about Europe, nothing would ever have been good enough.
One of her cabinet colleagues is predicting a "long day" but a "solid win". Let's see.One of her cabinet colleagues is predicting a "long day" but a "solid win". Let's see.
Read Laura's blogRead Laura's blog
Sir Graham Brady, chairman of backbench Tories, who is overseeing the vote, said: "We are looking at the leadership of the party and clearly the prime minister remains until there is a successor." What does it mean for Brexit?
Sir Graham said he had told the prime minister on Tuesday evening that she would face a confidence vote. She had been "businesslike" and "was very keen that matters be resolved as quickly as was reasonably possible", added Sir Graham. In the short term it means Mrs May has had to call off talks with other EU leaders - including Irish premier Leo Varadkar - to fight for her leadership.
Justice Secretary David Gauke told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he would not expect a new leader to be in place until late January or February - meaning they would have to ask the EU for more time to negotiate Brexit. She had meetings on Tuesday with Germany's Angela Merkel and top EU officials as part of efforts to get changes to her EU deal to get it through the UK Parliament.
"If she loses tonight whoever is prime minister will have to delay Article 50. I cannot see how we can possibly leave on 29 March." If she is ousted as Tory leader later she could still attend Thursday's EU summit as prime minister, but her deal would effectively be seen as dead.
Mr Gauke said he was "disappointed" that the confidence letters had gone in, but said: "I hope that the prime minister will win tonight and win well." Mrs May says any new Conservative leader would have to delay Brexit to renegotiate a deal with the EU.
Labour's Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner said the Conservative Party was "putting the resolution of their own divisions ahead of the interests of the country". But many of those calling for her to go say they would be happy for the UK to leave the EU on World Trade Organization terms, without a deal. They say warnings of economic doom are exaggerated.
Mrs May was due to meet Irish premier Leo Varadkar in Dublin later on Wednesday, as part of her efforts to get changes to her EU withdrawal agreement to get it through the UK Parliament. Mrs May says a leadership contest will effectively hand control of the Brexit process to MPs, and with no majority in Parliament for a no-deal Brexit other options could emerge.
But she said she had cancelled that meeting to fight for her leadership. Some MPs are pushing for a Norway-style relationship with the EU, much closer than the one proposed by Mrs May.
Mrs May held talks with other EU leaders on Tuesday, who say the deal cannot be renegotiated. Others are calling for a further referendum, with the option to stay in the EU on the ballot paper.
Who is trying to oust Mrs May?
The challenge has been brought by Conservative MPs who think Mrs May has watered down the Brexit voters were promised in the 2016 referendum.
The PM thought she had seen off an attempt by this group of Brexiteers to get rid of her last month.
But her decision to cancel Tuesday's Parliamentary vote on her deal at the last minute proved to be the final straw for many who had previously given her the benefit of the doubt.
There needed to be 48 MPs calling for her to go - out of 315 Conservative MPs - to trigger a confidence vote and this threshold has now been reached.
Why are they trying to get rid of her?
They don't like the deal she has struck with the EU, which they say will keep the UK tied to the EU indefinitely with no say over its rules and unable to strike trade deals around the world.
Anger has focused on the so-called "backstop" to prevent the return of a physical border in Northern Ireland.
Mrs May has said she is seeking guarantees that this clause will be "temporary" but the Democratic Unionist Party, which she relies on to win key votes, wants the backstop to be ditched altogether.
And her Conservative critics think she will not be able to get anything more than cosmetic changes to her withdrawal deal because EU leaders say it can not be renegotiated.
Formerly loyal Brexiteer Owen Paterson, said: "She is sadly determined to stick to her deal which is not going to get through the House of Commons, and worse, if it did get through the House of Commons, she would lose the support of the DUP, which triggers a general election."
Who could succeed Mrs May as Tory leader?
There are many names being floated, with Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd among cabinet ministers rated by the bookmakers.
Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, ex-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and ex-Brexit Secretary David Davis are the ex-cabinet ministers also judged to be in the running.
But, as BBC Political editor Laura Kuenssberg says, the field of hopefuls could be much larger and, initially at least, resemble the start of a Grand National.
What is Labour saying?
Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said: "Theresa May's weakness and failure has completely immobilised the government at this critical time for the country."
He added that the Conservative Party's "internal divisions are putting people's jobs and living standards at risk".
Labour is under pressure from other opposition parties to hold a vote of no confidence in the government in Parliament, which unlike a Tory leadership contest could lead to a general election.
But the Labour leadership has so far resisted these calls - saying that although it wants rid of the government it wants to wait until such a vote has a chance of succeeding.