This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/17/grassroots-tories-hold-no-confidence-vote-theresa-may
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Grassroots Tories want to hold no-confidence vote in Theresa May | Grassroots Tories want to hold no-confidence vote in Theresa May |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Grassroots Conservative activists will try to press Theresa May to stand down as prime minister by forcing an extraordinary general meeting to allow a vote of no confidence from party members. | Grassroots Conservative activists will try to press Theresa May to stand down as prime minister by forcing an extraordinary general meeting to allow a vote of no confidence from party members. |
| The vote would not be binding on the prime minister, but the National Conservative Convention (NCC) would be obliged to hold the meeting if more than 65 Tory association chairs called for one to be held. | The vote would not be binding on the prime minister, but the National Conservative Convention (NCC) would be obliged to hold the meeting if more than 65 Tory association chairs called for one to be held. |
| It is unlikely that anything other than a mass cabinet walkout would persuade the prime minister to resign against her own judgment. | It is unlikely that anything other than a mass cabinet walkout would persuade the prime minister to resign against her own judgment. |
| One cabinet source said it was becoming clear that the only real way to remove May was not by the rule book but for a large delegation of the cabinet to persuade her. | One cabinet source said it was becoming clear that the only real way to remove May was not by the rule book but for a large delegation of the cabinet to persuade her. |
| However, he said the problem was finding consensus within the cabinet about the right time to remove the prime minister, as some potential leadership candidates would rather she got the first phase of Brexit out the way before handing over to someone new. | However, he said the problem was finding consensus within the cabinet about the right time to remove the prime minister, as some potential leadership candidates would rather she got the first phase of Brexit out the way before handing over to someone new. |
| The grassroot attempt, first reported by the Telegraph, has been organised by the Conservatives’ London East area chairman, Dinah Glover, who said her priority was persuading cabinet ministers and MPs that they had the members’ backing to act to oust May. | The grassroot attempt, first reported by the Telegraph, has been organised by the Conservatives’ London East area chairman, Dinah Glover, who said her priority was persuading cabinet ministers and MPs that they had the members’ backing to act to oust May. |
| The number of signatories has not been disclosed but Glover said she was confident of reaching the threshold imminently. “It’s a snowball, we will definitely meet the numbers and exceed it,” she said. “It has been building for a lot of people. People were particularly angry when it became apparent that we were not leaving on 29 March, that was a very low point when we lost members. | The number of signatories has not been disclosed but Glover said she was confident of reaching the threshold imminently. “It’s a snowball, we will definitely meet the numbers and exceed it,” she said. “It has been building for a lot of people. People were particularly angry when it became apparent that we were not leaving on 29 March, that was a very low point when we lost members. |
| “Taking part in the EU elections is also a very physical reminder that Brexit has not been delivered. It is a very public humiliation, as is going into negotiations with Jeremy Corbyn.” | “Taking part in the EU elections is also a very physical reminder that Brexit has not been delivered. It is a very public humiliation, as is going into negotiations with Jeremy Corbyn.” |
| The motion drafted by Glover says the party “no longer feel that Mrs May is the right person to continue as prime minister to lead us forward in the negotiations. | The motion drafted by Glover says the party “no longer feel that Mrs May is the right person to continue as prime minister to lead us forward in the negotiations. |
| It adds: “We therefore with great reluctance ask that she considers her position and resigns, to allow the Conservative party to choose another leader, and the country to move forward and negotiate our exit from the EU.” | It adds: “We therefore with great reluctance ask that she considers her position and resigns, to allow the Conservative party to choose another leader, and the country to move forward and negotiate our exit from the EU.” |
| An extraordinary meeting of the NCC – the members’ body that comprises about 800 senior party officers – has never been called in the past and members would need to be given at least 28 days’ notice of the meeting. Party sources also suggested there would be no obligation to act quickly. | An extraordinary meeting of the NCC – the members’ body that comprises about 800 senior party officers – has never been called in the past and members would need to be given at least 28 days’ notice of the meeting. Party sources also suggested there would be no obligation to act quickly. |
| Glover said there was little campaigners could do to force the party to hold an EGM quickly, but their first priority was to put pressure on backbench MPs and cabinet ministers to act because of the intensity of grassroots feeling. | Glover said there was little campaigners could do to force the party to hold an EGM quickly, but their first priority was to put pressure on backbench MPs and cabinet ministers to act because of the intensity of grassroots feeling. |
| Theresa May becomes the UK's second female prime minister. In her first cabinet, she appoints Boris Johnson as foreign secretary, David Davis as Brexit secretary, and Liam Fox as international trade secretary. | Theresa May becomes the UK's second female prime minister. In her first cabinet, she appoints Boris Johnson as foreign secretary, David Davis as Brexit secretary, and Liam Fox as international trade secretary. |
| May gives her Lancaster House speech outlining her approach to navigating Brexit. It sets out the red lines that will continue to cause difficulties with her own party two years later. | May gives her Lancaster House speech outlining her approach to navigating Brexit. It sets out the red lines that will continue to cause difficulties with her own party two years later. |
| Formal notice is given to the EU, under article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, that the UK intends to leave the bloc. | Formal notice is given to the EU, under article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, that the UK intends to leave the bloc. |
| Despite having previously ruled it out, May calls a snap general election, accusing opposition parties of trying to jeopardise Brexit preparations. Projections suggest she could secure a majority of 140. | Despite having previously ruled it out, May calls a snap general election, accusing opposition parties of trying to jeopardise Brexit preparations. Projections suggest she could secure a majority of 140. |
| After a disastrous campaign performance, May loses her majority in the Commons. Within days of the election, she is forced to do a deal with the DUP to get a working majority. | After a disastrous campaign performance, May loses her majority in the Commons. Within days of the election, she is forced to do a deal with the DUP to get a working majority. |
| May's speech at the Conservative conference lurches from disaster to disaster, as a cough mars her delivery, a protestor manages to hand her a P45, and letters start falling off the backdrop behind her. | May's speech at the Conservative conference lurches from disaster to disaster, as a cough mars her delivery, a protestor manages to hand her a P45, and letters start falling off the backdrop behind her. |
| After the Chequers summit, David Davis resigns as Brexit secretary over the prime minister's withdrawal agreement with the EU. Boris Johnson follows Davis out the door the next day, claiming the UK was headed 'for the status of a colony'. | |
| The text of the withdrawal agreement is published. It is approved by the EU two weeks later. | The text of the withdrawal agreement is published. It is approved by the EU two weeks later. |
| May loses a second Brexit secretary as Dominic Raab resigns, saying he cannot support the deal he helped the PM negotiate. The work and pensions secretary Esther McVey resigns the same day. | May loses a second Brexit secretary as Dominic Raab resigns, saying he cannot support the deal he helped the PM negotiate. The work and pensions secretary Esther McVey resigns the same day. |
| May's government is found to be in contempt of parliament after refusing to publish the full legal advice it received over Brexit. | May's government is found to be in contempt of parliament after refusing to publish the full legal advice it received over Brexit. |
| Although more than a third of her MPs vote against her, May survives a Tory vote of no confidence. Under party rules she cannot be challenged again for another 12 months. | Although more than a third of her MPs vote against her, May survives a Tory vote of no confidence. Under party rules she cannot be challenged again for another 12 months. |
| May suffers the heaviest parliamentary defeat of a British prime minister in the democratic era, losing a meaningful vote on her Brexit withdrawal deal by a majority of 230. | May suffers the heaviest parliamentary defeat of a British prime minister in the democratic era, losing a meaningful vote on her Brexit withdrawal deal by a majority of 230. |
| May's deal is again voted down by parliament, this time by a majority of 149. | May's deal is again voted down by parliament, this time by a majority of 149. |
| On the day that parliament votes against eight different alternative Brexit options, Theresa May tells her backbench MPs she will stand down as soon as her deal passed. | On the day that parliament votes against eight different alternative Brexit options, Theresa May tells her backbench MPs she will stand down as soon as her deal passed. |
| On the eve of European parliamentary elections May desperately wanted to avoid, the leader of the house, Andrea Leadsom, quits the cabinet. She is unhappy with 10 new commitments May has added to her withdrawal agreement bill in an attempt to get cross-party consensus. | On the eve of European parliamentary elections May desperately wanted to avoid, the leader of the house, Andrea Leadsom, quits the cabinet. She is unhappy with 10 new commitments May has added to her withdrawal agreement bill in an attempt to get cross-party consensus. |
| Theresa May announces she will formally resign as Conservative party leader on 7 June, sparking a leadership content that sees Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt vying to be the next prime minister. | |
| “It is up to the party how quickly they move, but from my point of view this is extremely significant that this is happening at all,” she said. | “It is up to the party how quickly they move, but from my point of view this is extremely significant that this is happening at all,” she said. |
| “It gives power to the elbow of almost half of the backbenchers that voted no confidence in the prime minister in December and to those who decided it was not the right time but had sympathy with it. | “It gives power to the elbow of almost half of the backbenchers that voted no confidence in the prime minister in December and to those who decided it was not the right time but had sympathy with it. |
| “We are seeking to say, this feeling is growing, we don’t want to take this to an EGM, which is a last resort, but we have the numbers.” | “We are seeking to say, this feeling is growing, we don’t want to take this to an EGM, which is a last resort, but we have the numbers.” |
| May, who has already pledged to step down for the next phase of the Brexit negotiations, cannot face another binding no-confidence vote in her leadership until December, a year after she successfully defeated an attempt by MPs to oust her. | May, who has already pledged to step down for the next phase of the Brexit negotiations, cannot face another binding no-confidence vote in her leadership until December, a year after she successfully defeated an attempt by MPs to oust her. |
| However, the Brexit delay has led Tory grassroots groups and Eurosceptic MPs to attempt to explore other ways of forcing her resignation. | However, the Brexit delay has led Tory grassroots groups and Eurosceptic MPs to attempt to explore other ways of forcing her resignation. |
| MPs including Mark Francois and Andrea Jenkyns have already submitted further no-confidence letters in the prime minister to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, and urged him to hold an indicative vote of confidence in the prime minister. | MPs including Mark Francois and Andrea Jenkyns have already submitted further no-confidence letters in the prime minister to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, and urged him to hold an indicative vote of confidence in the prime minister. |
| The prospect of such a vote was discussed at length before the Easter recess by the committee, which eventually concluded it could not take place. The committee has also been asked to present May with a timetable for her departure, but it would not be binding on her. | The prospect of such a vote was discussed at length before the Easter recess by the committee, which eventually concluded it could not take place. The committee has also been asked to present May with a timetable for her departure, but it would not be binding on her. |
| Another option being explored is a little-known method to change party rules, which can be kickstarted by a petition of more than 10,000 members. One member, Soutiam Goodarzi, has started a petition to reduce the 12-month grace period after a no-confidence vote to three months. | Another option being explored is a little-known method to change party rules, which can be kickstarted by a petition of more than 10,000 members. One member, Soutiam Goodarzi, has started a petition to reduce the 12-month grace period after a no-confidence vote to three months. |
| However, it is unlikely such a change could be made quickly. The petition would only trigger a postal ballot of members of the NCC, plus MPs, MEPs and peers, which would take place up to two months after the petition would be received. | However, it is unlikely such a change could be made quickly. The petition would only trigger a postal ballot of members of the NCC, plus MPs, MEPs and peers, which would take place up to two months after the petition would be received. |
| Two former chairmen of the 1922 Committee have also advised that MPs could change the rules among themselves to allow a leadership challenge sooner than December. | Two former chairmen of the 1922 Committee have also advised that MPs could change the rules among themselves to allow a leadership challenge sooner than December. |
| Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Michael Spicer and Archie Hamilton said the 12-month rule on no-confidence votes could be changed if MPs agreed to do so. “Conservative MPs are responsible for their party,” the pair wrote. “If they wish to change these rules there is nothing standing in their way.” | Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Michael Spicer and Archie Hamilton said the 12-month rule on no-confidence votes could be changed if MPs agreed to do so. “Conservative MPs are responsible for their party,” the pair wrote. “If they wish to change these rules there is nothing standing in their way.” |
| Responding to the letter, Brady said he believed such a change would be possible, but was “less certain that it would be possible to change the rules during the current period of grace which was initiated with the triggering of a confidence vote on 12 December last year”. | Responding to the letter, Brady said he believed such a change would be possible, but was “less certain that it would be possible to change the rules during the current period of grace which was initiated with the triggering of a confidence vote on 12 December last year”. |
| Conservative leadership | Conservative leadership |
| Theresa May | Theresa May |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| 1922 Committee | 1922 Committee |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |