Search icon

News

12th Dec 2018

Theresa May to face confidence vote as Tory leadership challenge triggered

Kyle Picknell

A confidence vote in Theresa May is set to take place tonight between 6pm and 8pm

Theresa May will be subject to a Conservative party vote of confidence after the required 48 letters calling for a leadership contest were delivered.

Under party rules, if 15 per cent of Tory members of parliament write to the chairman of the backbench 1922 committee expressing no confidence in their party leader then a ballot is triggered.

A press release from Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee, said: “The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and an announcement will be made as soon as possible in the evening.”

The ballot will be held on Wednesday evening between 6pm and 8pm, Brady said, with votes counted “immediately afterwards and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.”

All Conservative Party serving MPs will now case a vote either for or against May. The prime minister will need the backing of at least 158 of them to survive.

If she receives their backing, she will remain prime minister and another contest cannot be triggered for at least a year.

If she loses, Graham Brady will invite nominations for May’s replacement. Candidates need two nominations to stand and Theresa May would not be allowed to run as a candidate.