FURIOUS Tories tonight demanded a new vote to oust Theresa May– claiming at least two-thirds of MPs want her binned.
Arch Brexiteers demanded party chiefs allow a show of hands at a crunch meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee – in a desperate bid to remove the PM before she can strike a soft Brexit deal with Labour.
One MP James Duddridge stormed: “She needs to go – she’s not fit for purpose.”
Sir Graham Brady, 1922 chairman, told MPs the committee’s ruling body decided a new vote shouldn’t happen “at this time” but he would keep the PM informed on their views.
Loyalists said it would be “madness” to remove the PM before the Council Elections on May 2.
MPs had called for her to be forced out if “50 per cent plus one” of Tories – 157 – sent in no confidence letters.
Under existing rules, Mrs May cannot be removed until December after surviving a no confidence vote led by Brexiteers four months ago.
Mr Duddridge said: “If there was an indicative vote on the Prime Minister now, I believe at least two-thirds would vote for her to go – she needs to go.”
Fellow Brexiteer Mark Francois said he would be writing a new no confidence letter tomorrow.
Earlier Tory insiders said members across the country were cutting up their membership cards in protest at Theresa May’s soft Brexit lunge.
She needs to go – she’s not fit for purpose.
Tory MP James Duddridge
Steve Baker, deputy of the so-called ERG wing of the Tory party, said: “We need to move things on. We are grinding forward as a party, the whole country is just grinding forwards.
“It cannot go on.”
But others were said to be sitting on their hands and waiting for the outcome of Mrs May and Mr Corbyn’s crunch talks.
One MP suggested that Tories could go on “vote strike” and refuse to support the PM unless she stands aside now – making it impossible for her to pass any legislation.
Mrs May wasn’t at tonight’s crunch meeting, and she sent Trade Secretary Liam Fox to face the wrath of her backbenchers instead.
Last night fuming Tories accused her of working with a “Marxist” to get a soft Brexit through, which could lead to a customs union or even a second referendum.
Today the pair held a two-hour showdown behind closed doors with their top teams.
The summit is set to carry on tomorrow in an attempt to thrash out a deal.
The PM has vowed to come up with a compromise plan which the two leaders can then present to Parliament – but if they can’t then she will let MPs decide the way forward.
If the Bill passes tonight it will be out of MPs’ hands and into the power of the Lords to do as they wish with it.
There’s always the possibility that No10 could try and force through a final vote on her deal before the summit – that could be tomorrow, or early next week.
The PM could even put the deal up against a soft option too – like a customs union which Tories won’t stand.
Downing Street expect to have to have their plans signed off for whatever version of Brexit they are planning, so they can give the EU advance warning.
This doesn’t give much time to thrash out an agreement – whether that’s one with Mr Corbyn, or the votes of the House of Commons.
EU summit of 27 nations takes place, likely in Brussels.
They will have an emergency meeting to discuss Brexit, and whatever options Britain comes up with to solve the impasse.
If Mrs May doesn’t come up with a plan, they are likely to tell her we have to leave on Friday with No Deal.
They’ve already said if another extension is needed then they will have no choice but to offer us a long one to give time for MPs to sort it out.
And they could attach conditions to the extension too, such as holding a referendum or another general election.
This could be Britain’s last day in the EU. As the PM’s deal wasn’t passed, then we are set to quit the bloc on April 12 with nothing at all.
The PM is unlikely to do this, as she knows how many MPs are against it.
Brussels bosses have said we can revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit altogether right up until the deadline at 11pm.
Theresa May said she could try and seek an extension to Brexit from the EU until then, if her deal gets passed soon.
It would give her just a few extra weeks to make sure all the laws are passed ready for our exit.
On his shopping list of demands today he called for a customs union, more workers’ rights and raised the prospect of another vote.
Brexit-supporting backbenchers fear that Britain will now end up staying in Europe’s customs union – which would stop us striking trade deals around the world.
But the hard leftie complained this evening that there “hasn’t been as much change as I expected” and said the talks were “inconclusive”.
Two Tory ministers quit the Government today in disgust at her plans to work with the Labour boss.
Meanwhile, the PM is running out of time to get a plan in place.
Mrs May said she would request a second delay to Brexit rather than leaving without a deal next Friday.
Any further extension must be signed off by EU leaders at a special summit on April 10.
But Brussels bosses are likely to demand details by the end of this week – meaning the PM has just 48 hours to cut a revised deal.
In a letter to all Tory MPs today, the PM blamed Brexiteers who won’t vote for her deal for the need to seek Labour support instead.
She said: “I realise some of you will be concerned about the Government discussing the way forward with the Opposition.
“However, with some colleagues unwilling to support the Government in the division lobbies, this is the only way to deliver the smooth, orderly Brexit that we promised.”
Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, confirmed that Britain can leave the EU on May 22 as long as a deal gets agreed within the next week.
But he warned that if there’s no consensus, we will either crash out with No Deal next Friday or be forced to accept a months-long delay.
Meanwhile in the Commons MPs voted to start the process of delaying Brexit again by forcing the PM to seek a delay to Article 50 – something she’s already promised.
And Speaker Bercow was forced to intervene and cast his own ballot today as there was a tie in the Commons for the first time in 26 years.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online politics team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours
