Theresa May will be told to “leave her Downing Street bunker” today and set out a resignation timetable.
The prime minister is set to be handed an ultimatum by Sir Graham Brady, who chairs the powerful 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, this morning.
It is understood that Sir Graham will ask Mrs May to set a date for her departure and if she refuses he will go ahead with a party rule change that will allow another no confidence vote to be brought forward.
One Tory MP told the Press and Journal: “This is it, she needs to leave her Downing Street bunker and face the music. If she doesn’t go, we have the numbers for a no confidence vote.”
A 1922 Committee source said that they expected Mrs May would stay until June 10, but warned there would be “much greater pressure” for her to go immediately if she tries to bring her Brexit deal back to the Commons.
“Hopefully what will happen is she will stand down as Tory leader I think on or before June 10, and she will hopefully remain as caretaker prime minister until such time as a new Tory leader is elected,” they said.
“My feeling is that she will stay until June 10.”
The source said a new leader would ideally be in place by the end of the summer to get a Brexit deal through parliament before October 31.
Asked if it was time for Mrs May to resign, Andrea Leadsom, who sensationally quit the Cabinet on Wednesday night, told reporters: “Well, that’s a matter for her.
“But, for me, I felt I couldn’t in all conscience stand up and deliver the business statement today with the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in it that I couldn’t support elements of.
“So, I have no doubts that I made the right decision and, of course, it’s for the prime minister to decide what’s right for her and for the country.”
The prime minister’s official spokesman refused to say whether Mrs May was preparing to resign when asked on Thursday.
