The Prime Minister Theresa May is on the verge of resigning, according to a senior source within the Conservative Party.
According to Sky News Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig, a “very senior MP” has told him that “the PM will resign tonight” and that senior Cabinet Minister Andrea Leadsom is also “poised to resign” to “launch a leadership bid“.
Very senior MP tells me the word from the Cabinet corridor in the HoC is that the PM will resign tonight, Andrea Leadsom is poised to resign to launch a leadership bid, others may also resign & David Lidington will take over as acting PM. Unconfirmed!
— Jon Craig (@joncraig) May 22, 2019
Cabinet Ministers are reportedly preparing to resign en-masse unless Mrs May steps down.
Furthermore, according to the Sunday Times Political Editor Tim Shipman, Theresa May’s aides “now accept that the game is up” and that “All that is left is for her to come to that realisation“.
My understanding is that the prime minister’s most senior aides now accept that the game is up. All that is left is “for her to come to that realisation”
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) May 22, 2019
Understand the PM is currently meeting her closest aides and the chief whip.
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) May 22, 2019
Senior No 10 aides shrugging shoulders with ‘I suppose so’ look when Tory MPs suggest game is up for PM
— Nicholas Watt (@nicholaswatt) May 22, 2019
More unconfirmed reports are indicating that Theresa May may be set to make a speech outside Downing Street later this evening.
Rumours – unconfirmed, but also not denied – that the PM is planning a statement from Downing Street tonight
— Jason Groves (@JasonGroves1) May 22, 2019
And, in a further development, the executive of the influential 1922 Committee is set to meet with the Conservative Party’s Chief Whip at 17:30 – strongly indicating a major escalation in the Prime Minister’s deeply precarious situation.
BREAKING: 1922 executive to meet with Chief Whip at 5:30pm
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) May 22, 2019
Apologies, my last tweet was incorrect. ‘22 meeting with Julian Smith tonight. Corrected version:
BREAKING: the executive of the 1922 committee will meet with chief whip l at 5:30pm. They’re expecting to be told something significant.
— Sebastian Payne (@SebastianEPayne) May 22, 2019
1922 Committee meeting adjourned and they’ve been told to come back at 6pm. Chief whip meeting the executive at 5.30. One senior MP says: “It looks like the end.”
— Kevin Schofield (@KevinASchofield) May 22, 2019
BREAKING: Full ‘22 to meet to again at 6pm following exec’s meeting with Chief Whip
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) May 22, 2019
Understand:
– Exec meets Chief Whip to ask what’s going on and whether PM has listened to discontent.
– Following that meeting, full ‘22 meets to decide how to respond and whether its time for her to go.Mark Francois says “I bet £50 the WAB will never get to second reading”.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) May 22, 2019
Several Senior Cabinet members, including Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid, are also said to have requested personal meetings with the Prime Minister.
Jeremy Hunt has also requested a private meeting with the PM
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) May 22, 2019
Hold on to your hats, things clearly moving and fast
— James Forsyth (@JGForsyth) May 22, 2019
