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Theresa May's Conservative Party trigger vote of no confidence in her leadership
Conservative MPs to hold a vote of no confidence in Theresa May's leadership.
The challenge to her leadership will push Britain into a new era of chaos as it attempts to secure a Brexit deal to leave the European Union.
May said she would fight the challenge.
More than 15% of Conservative MPs submitted a letter calling on her to quit.
Conservative MPs call on May to quit rather than drag the party through an extended contest.
Conservative MPs are to hold a vote of no confidence in Theresa May's leadership after more than 48 Conservative MPs submitted a letter calling for her to stand down.
The challenge to her leadership threatens to plunge the UK government into a protracted period of uncertainty, making May's attempt to get a Brexit deal with the European Union much harder.
The stakes could not be higher. May has so far failed to convince the UK parliament to approve the proposed deal she negotiated with the EU, which UK politicians fear could keep Britain wedded European Union rules for years after Brexit, without the full advantages of EU membership. Earlier this week she cancelled a planned vote on the deal in order to prevent a historic defeat that threatened to be the largest for a siting prime minister in decades.
Even if she survives this challenge, the prospects for winning support for her deal in Parliament look slim.
It could raise the possibility of Britain either dropping out of the EU with no deal - widely regarded as the worst-case scenario, economically - or choosing a closer arrangement, like the one enjoyed by Norway. Other possibilities in the mix include a second referendum (giving the British another chance to back out of Brexit), or a new general election which could see the Conservatives lose to Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party.
A statement by the Chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative MPs, Graham Brady, on Wednesday morning confirmed that 15% of Conservative MPs had called for her to quit, meaning a vote on her future will now go ahead.
"I will contest that vote with everything I have got"
The prime minister said she would fight the challenge against her.
"There will now be a vote of confidence in my leadership," May said in a statement outside 10 Downing Street.
"I will contest that vote with everything I have got."
Live coverage:
Theresa May battles for survival ahead of Conservative party no-confidence vote
She said that any successful challenge against her would inevitably lead to her successor being forced to delay or even stop Brexit.
A threat to Brexit
"One of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it," she said.
"A change in leadership will put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it.
"The only people whose interests would be served would be [Labour leader] Jeremy Corbyn and [Shadow Chancellor] John McDonnell."
A ballot will be held on Wednesday evening by Conservative MPs, with the prime minister addressing her backbenchers from 5.00 GMT.
"The threshold of 15% of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of no confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded," 1922 committee chairman Brady wrote on Wednesday.
"In accordance with the rules, a ballot will be held between 1800 and 2000 on Wednesday 12th December."
The result is expected around 9.00 GMT.
May must win half the votes to put down the rebellion
Under party rules more than half of Conservative MPs must support the challenge in order for a full contest to go ahead.
If May were to be successful in such a vote then another ballot on the question of her leadership could not be held for another year.
However, if she loses the vote then she will be excluded from any contest. Conservative MPs will then go through a process of selecting their top two candidates for the job of leader, which will then be voted on by all party members.
Brady told Sky News that the parliamentary stage of the process could be completed before Christmas, but that any vote by the party membership would take significantly longer.
Any successful challenge would inevitably lead to calls for a delay to Brexit, through an extension or withdrawal of the Article 50 process.
"In the national interest, she must go"
In a statement, the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the European Research Group of Conservative MPs, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker called on May to quit right away.
"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," they said.
However, May received support from the Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who is seen as one of the favourites to succeed her.
"The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election," he tweeted on Wednesday.
"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."
She was also backed by the Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, who tweeted that "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."
Other rumoured leadership contenders, including Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Hunt, also tweeted their support for the prime minister.
"Theresa May's weakness and failure has completely immobilised the Government"
The opposition Labour party accused the Conservative party of putting the country's future at risk.
"With only weeks left before Britain leaves the EU, Theresa May's weakness and failure has completely immobilised the Government at this critical time for the country," Chair of the Labour Party, Ian Lavery MP, said.
"The Prime Minister's half-baked Brexit deal does not have the backing of her Cabinet, her party, Parliament or the country.
"The Conservative party's internal divisions are putting people's jobs and living standards at risk."
Read Graham Brady's letter
