Britain's Prime Minister, Theresa May
Prime Minister Theresa May will face a no confidence vote next week with Conservative lawmakers expected to submit the 48 letters required to trigger a leadership contest on Friday, a reporter at the Daily Telegraph said.
May could face the no confidence vote on Tuesday, Telegraph Chief Political Correspondent Christopher Hope said on Twitter, citing Brexiteer sources.
Britain's Supreme Court said on Friday it would consider whether to hear an appeal from the British government which wants to stop Europe's top court from examining a case seeking to determine whether the country can unilaterally reverse Brexit.Scottish politicians who are opposed to Britain leaving the European Union want the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to clarify whether London can withdraw its notification to leave without permission from the EU's other member states.Prime Minister Theresa May's government, which on Tuesday announced it had agreed a draft divorce deal with the EU, had argued that whether or not Britain could reverse the decision was immaterial, since ministers had no intention of doing so.However, Scotland's Court of Session ruled last week that the government could not prevent the ECJ from hearing the case on Nov. 27.UK PM May will face no confidence vote next weekThe government has now taken its case to Britain's Supreme Court which said it would now decide whether to hear an appeal."The court is aware of the urgency of this matter," Britain's top court said in a statement.The anti-Brexit petitioners aim to show that Britain has a legal unilateral option of staying in the EU, the world's biggest trading bloc, once the outcome of the Brexit negotiations is known.It is not clear when the ECJ might issue its ruling to clarify the interpretation of Article 50 of the EU treaty, under which London last year gave two years' notice of its departure.UK Supreme Court says will consider government appeal in Brexit reversal caseMay's draft deal has faced opposition from many in her own Conservative Party as well as from the Northern Irish party which props up her minority government and opposition lawmakers.She has said the country faces three options: backing her deal, leaving the EU in a disorderly "no deal" Brexit, which would be very disruptive for businesses and citizens, or no Brexit.Pro-EU supporters who want a second referendum are hoping the case will give the option that Britain could change its mind in a second referendum and remain in the bloc after all. UK PM May fights for survival after Brexit deal sparks crisisWho has submitted letters of no confidence in UK PM May?
Top UK court says to consider government appeal in Brexit reversal case
British Prime Minister Theresa May was fighting for survival on Friday after a draft divorce deal with the European Union provoked the resignations of senior ministers and calls for a vote of no confidence in her leadership.More than two years after the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU, it is still unclear how, on what terms or even if it will leave the EU as planned on March 29, 2019.May, who won the top job in the turmoil that followed the 2016 referendum, has sought to negotiate a Brexit deal ensuring the United Kingdom leaves in the smoothest way possible.But Brexit minister Dominic Raab resigned on Thursday over her deal, sending the pound tumbling. Mutinous lawmakers in her own party openly sought to challenge her leadership and bluntly told her that the Brexit deal would not pass parliament.Who has submitted letters of no confidence in UK PM May?May, who has vowed to stay on as prime minister, was asked by a caller on LBC radio to "respectfully stand down". She did not immediately address that part of the caller's question.British media have been awash with rumours that May would face an imminent vote of no confidence in her leadership from her own Conservative Party lawmakers.When 48 Conservatives submit letters to the party's so-called 1922 committee, May will face a confidence vote, needing a simple majority of the total votes in order to win."For the sake of the Conservative Party and indeed for our country's destiny, I honestly believe that (it) is now time to seek fresh leadership that can carry this country forward outside of the European Union," Brexit-supporting lawmaker Mark Francois wrote in a letter headlined "She Just Doesn't Listen".I'm no Neville Chamberlain: UK PM May rejects comparison to mocked war leaderHowever in a boost to May, Michael Gove, 51, the most prominent Brexit-supporting minister in her government, gave his backing to the prime minister, saying he would stay on in government as environment minister.Asked if he had confidence in May, Gove, who torpedoed former foreign minister Boris Johnson's leadership bid in 2016, told reporters: "I absolutely do.""I think it's absolutely vital that we focus on getting the right deal in the future, and making sure that in the areas that matter so much to the British people we can get a good outcome."Other eurosceptic ministers also agreed to stay, according to a tweet from Tim Shipman, Sunday Times political editor.How Britain's Raab tripped on 'Barnier's staircase'"RESIGNING WILL NOT HELP""Resigning and joining a rebellion is not going to help anything," he quoted an unnamed source as saying.Sterling, which has see-sawed on Brexit news since the referendum, was flat at $1.2783 on Friday, down almost three cents since a deal was struck on Tuesday.Brexit will pitch the world's fifth largest economy into the unknown. Many fear it will divide the West as it grapples with both the unconventional U.S. presidency of Donald Trump and growing assertiveness from Russia and China.Jo Johnson, who resigned as a minister last week, said the situation marked the worst failure of statesmanship since the 1956 Suez canal crisis, when Britain was forced by the United States to withdraw its troops from Egypt.Brexit divorce deal thrusts UK PM May into biggest crisis of premiershipAmid the turmoil the ultimate outcome remains uncertain.Scenarios include May's deal ultimately winning approval; May losing her job; Britain leaving the bloc with no agreement; or even another referendum.To leave the EU on the terms of her deal, May would need to get the backing of about 320 of parliament's 650 lawmakers. The deal is due to be discussed at an EU summit on Nov. 25.Politicians, officials and diplomats in London openly questioned how long May had left as speculation swirled around London that a leadership challenge could come soon.France preparing transport, customs measures in case of no-Brexit dealBy seeking to preserve the closest possible ties with the EU, May has upset her party's many advocates of a clean break, and Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up her minority government.The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that the DUP had demanded May be replaced as prime minister."Oh I haven't had a testy exchange with Arlene," May said. "They've raised some questions with us, they've raised some concerns with us and yes we are looking at those."We are still working with the DUP," she said.UK PM May will face no confidence vote next weekNIGHTMARE FOR BUSINESS?The EU and Britain need an agreement to keep trade flowing between the world's biggest trading bloc and the United Kingdom, home to the biggest international financial centre.May said she felt the threat of a no deal Brexit personally as she was Type 1 diabetic: "I depend on insulin every day. My insulin is produced by a country elsewhere in the European Union."May's spokeswoman said there had been strong support from the country's business community for her draft deal but British aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce said it was continuing with its no-deal contingency plans.Top UK court says to consider government appeal in Brexit reversal caseThe plans include "buffer stocks so that we have all the logistical capacity that we need to carry on running our business," said Chief Executive Warren East.Proponents of closer relations with the EU in her own party and the Labour opposition say the deal squanders the advantages of membership for little gain.Supporters of Brexit say that while the divorce might bring some short-term instability, in the longer term it will allow the United Kingdom to thrive. 
UK PM May battles to sell Brexit deal amid rumours of no-confidence vote
Some lawmakers in Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party have said they have submitted letters of no confidence in the British leader.A leadership challenge is triggered if 48 Conservatives write such letters to the chairman of the party's so-called 1922 committee, Graham Brady. May could be toppled if 158 of her 315 lawmakers vote against her.Brady has not said how many letters have been submitted. It is not clear how he would announce any vote.Lawmakers do not have to reveal publicly whether they have written a letter, but those below have chosen to do so:UK's Gove won't resign over PM May's Brexit plan1) JACOB REES-MOGG - submitted his letter on Thursday"It is of considerable importance that politicians stick to their commitments or do not make such commitments in the first place. Regrettably, this is not the situation," he said in his letter.2) HENRY SMITH - tweeted a picture of his letter on Thursday"With regret, I have to inform you I have lost confidence in Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party and British Prime Minister," it said.3) SHERYLL MURRAY - said on Thursday she had submitted a letter."I have lost confidence in the Brexit policy of the Prime Minister and have therefore written to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee asking for a vote to take place over her leadership," she said on Twitter.I'm no Neville Chamberlain: UK PM May rejects comparison to mocked war leader4) ANNE MARIE-MORRIS - said on Thursday she had submitted a letter"I feel that with Theresa, she is the wrong leader at this time, and I've put in my letter asking for a vote of no confidence. I am not alone and I do it with a heavy heart but now it's the country that matter more than absolutely anything else," she told the BBC.5) LEE ROWLEY - said on Thursday he had submitted a letter"I've written that because sadly I have come to the conclusion that the prime minister isn't going to change her policy and I wish she would," he told ITV news.6) STEVE BAKER - submitted his letter on Oct. 22 after an article by May in the Sun newspaper persuaded him "we could not separate the person from the policy""While I am clear these (proposals) will be defeated in the commons, there seems little point allowing the Captain to continue running the ship towards the rocks and so I write with regret to request a vote of no confidence in our leader."How Britain's Raab tripped on 'Barnier's staircase'7) SIMON CLARKE - "My letter is in," he told reporters on Thursday outside a meeting of the influential ERG eurosceptic group of Conservative lawmakers.8) JAMES DUDDRIDGE - announced he had submitted his letter just minutes before May took to the stage for her speech at the Conservative annual conference in October"I don't know any Conservative MPs that expect Theresa May to be leading us in the next general election ... Given that's the case, let's get on, let's make the change now and let's get someone that believes in Brexit delivering Brexit," he told Sky News at the time.9) ANDREA JENKYNS - submitted her letter in June"She can fight it. But I am confident she will not win it. Time to save Brexit and our party with a new leader," she said on Twitter.Brexit divorce deal thrusts UK PM May into biggest crisis of premiership10) ANDREW BRIDGEN - submitted his letter in July"All we have asked from the Prime Minister, is that she sticks to what she has promised on repeated occasions when she declared that 'Brexit means Brexit' and pledged to take back control of our money, borders and laws. But it now appears those promises are all a pretence and a charade intended to dupe the electorate," he said in his letter, according to media reports.11) PHILIP DAVIES - submitted his letter in July"Politics is all about trust and once it is lost it is impossible to win back. Many people have told me that as a result of this they have lost trust in the PM to properly and fully deliver the referendum result. It is with much sadness that I have to say that I have also lost trust in her to deliver the referendum result too," he said in a letter to constituents.12) PETER BONE - submitted his letter some time ago"I’ve always wanted the policy to change not necessarily the prime minister but when the prime minister won’t change the policy the only way to change the policy is to change the prime minister," he told the BBC on Thursday.France preparing transport, customs measures in case of no-Brexit deal13) NADINE DORRIES - submitted her letter some weeks ago"The writing has been on the wall for some time," she said on Twitter on Thursday.14) MARTIN VICKERS - submitted his letter in July"It was clear at that time further concessions were inevitable & now we have a much worse agreement that fails to deliver what my constituents voted for in the referendum when they delivered a considered verdict that we should leave," he told a local newspaper reporter.15) ADAM HOLLOWAY - submitted his letter on Thursday"My letter of no confidence has now been delivered - with regret. Mrs May is a remarkable woman - just look at her fortitude today in the House of Commons, even more please remember her long career of public service."16) JOHN WHITTINGDALE - told the BBC on Friday"Yes, I have sent a letter to Graham Brady"17) LAURENCE ROBERTSON - told the BBC his letter was submitted months ago"I was concerned at the direction Theresa May was taking these negotiations and was dragging them out, and I wrote that letter some months ago."18) MARK FRANCOIS - said he had submitted his letter, titled "She Just Doesn't Listen", on Friday"For the sake of the Conservative Party and indeed for our country's destiny, I honestly believe that (it) is now time to seek fresh leadership that can carry this country forward outside of the European union and confidently into the world."19) MARIA CAULFIELD - confirmed via her office that she has submitted a letter.20) BEN BRADLEY - confirmed via his office that he has submitted a letter.21) CHRIS GREEN - said on Twitter he had sent a letter."My constituents want a clean break from the European Union, taking back control of our laws, our borders, our money and our trade. The withdrawal proposal from the prime minister will not help deliver that result." 
Who has submitted letters of no confidence in UK PM May?