Mrs May could also be challenged with an unprecedented vote of confidence this week as Tory grassroots anger boils over. Plans for a major Government re-shuffle also appear to have been abandoned, leaving the PM at the mercy of Remainer Cabinet members. The chairman of the Tory party’s powerful backbench 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady is poised to tell Mrs May as early as tonight that almost three-quarters of her MPs want her to resign.
Sir Graham will meet with the committee’s 18 executives today to discuss whether or not to tear up the party’s rules to allow a new no confidence vote on Mrs May before December.
A source said: “Sir Graham could pay the Prime Minister a visit on Tuesday or Wednesday to spell out the demands.”
As chairman of the body that represents the interests of the party’s back-benchers Sir Graham effectively holds a powerful kingmaker role and is usually the one to tell a Tory leader when it is time to go.
Mrs May’s position has also been further weakened after more than 70 local Conservative association chiefs called for an extraordinary general meeting where they will discuss her leadership.
A non-binding vote is expected to be held at the National Conservative Convention meeting, which would put pressure on the 1922 Committee to find a way of forcibly removing the PM from office.
Mrs May has come under heavy criticism for her handling of the Brexit process, but survived a vote of confidence of her MPs in December.
Under party rules 12 months has to pass before another vote can be called, but an extraordinary general meeting must be held if more than 65 local associations demand one via a petition.
Dinah Glover, chairwoman of London East Area Conservatives, who has organised the petition, said: “I am extremely sad that we have had to organise this petition to ask Mrs May to consider her position but it has become increasingly obvious over the last year that she has become the block to Brexit rather the solution.
“Chairmen have signed the petition because they fear Brexit will not be delivered under her leadership.
“We need a Prime Minister who believes in the benefits that Brexit can bring to our country to lead us in the negotiations and out of the EU.
“That is the only solution which can satisfy our party and the British people. Enough is enough.”
Mrs May’s decision to hold cross-party talks to break the Brexit deadlock have also proved deeply unpopular.
Talks are due to continue today with Mrs May’s de-facto deputy David Lidington, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay, her Chief Whip Julian Smith, and her adviser Gavin Barwell.
The continued political turmoil comes as a new report today claims Britain’s electoral model preserves an “increasingly dysfunctional” two-party system and can “abet” extreme politics.
The Constitution Society found that the First Past the Post (FPTP) system does little to encourage political moderation and instead increases political differences between the regions.
It recommended alternatives such as the Two-Round System, Single Transferable Vote and Additional Member System be considered in place of the current model through a Citizens’ Assembly.
“Rather than curtailing extreme voices, FPTP today empowers the relatively extreme voices of the Labour and Conservative Party memberships,” it states.
