Prime Minister Theresa May is currently holding a crunch meeting with leading Brexit-backing Tories in a desperate last ditch attempt to avert a vote of confidence being held against her, it has been reported.
Numerous reports indicate that four Tory MPs Iain Duncan Smith, and Owen Paterson, as well as former MP Peter Lilley, and Tory Peer Lord Trimble, have entered Number 10 for showdown talks to try and sway Mrs May’s stance on her controversial draft Brexit deal.
It is believed that the Brexiteers may hold the key to any vote of no confidence taking place, and if the Prime Minister fails to give them assurances of a change of tact, they will almost certainly enter their letters to the head of the 1922 Committee, Graham Brady, to take the total up to the magical 48 letter mark.
The Telegraph’s Steven Swinford first reported “trouble” for the PM after spotting Iain Duncan Smith, Owen Paterson and Lord Trimble entering Number 10 around an hour ago:
“Trouble for PM with Iain Duncan Smith, Owen Paterson, Lord Trimble in No 10 for meeting with PM.
They will spell out how they think Irish border issue can resolved with treaty. Feels inevitable she will reject.
Could we see letter of no confidence announced on steps of No 10?”
Trouble for PM with Iain Duncan Smith, Owen Paterson, Lord Trimble in No 10 for meeting with PM.
They will spell out how they think Irish border issue can resolved with treaty. Feels inevitable she will reject.
Could we see letter of no confidence announced on steps of No 10?
— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) November 19, 2018
Whilst the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg also confirmed the meeting:
IDS, Peter Lilley and Owen Paterson have just gone into Number 10
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) November 19, 2018
And according to ITV, the Brexiteer delegation entering Number 10 “were carrying a print out of an email from Sabine Weyand to Owen Paterson apparently approving of some of their ideas for keeping the Irish border open. Photographers here captured the print out.“:
Breaking. The Brexiteer delegation now in No10 were carrying a print out of an email from Sabine Weyand to Owen Paterson apparently approving of some of their ideas for keeping the Irish border open. Photographers here captured the print out.
— Carl Dinnen (@carldinnen) November 19, 2018
It is also understood that Tory MP Philip Hollobone has also just submitted his letter of no confidence in the PM to Graham Brady, taking the total tantalisingly close to the 48 mark.
And earlier today, Tory Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen confidently announced that the 48-letter mark will be reached “by the end of the day [Monday]” – and, dependent on the meeting currently taking place in Number 10, this prediction looks increasingly likely.
Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen tells LBC he expects the required 48 letters of no confidence in Theresa May to be submitted "by the end of the day."
— LBC News (@LBCNews) November 19, 2018
