Theresa May has warned rebel Tory MPs threatening a vote of no confidence against her that Brexit will be delayed if they attempt to oust her as leader.

In her first televised interview since her Brexit plan was announced, she told the Sophy Ridge on Sunday show on Sky News that there is still potential for changes to the current document to be made.

After more Conservative MPs came forward this weekend to publicly announce a lack of support for their leader, May insisted the UK will be leaving the European Union on March 29 – but if she is forced out it ‘would delay negotiations’ – therefore delaying leaving.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

She added: ‘A change of leadership at this time is not going to make the negotiations any easier and it is not going to change the parliamentary arithmetic.




‘It will bring uncertainty and increase the risk that we delay the negotiations, and that is a risk that Brexit gets delayed or frustrated.’

Care home resident, 104, says visiting restrictions make her feel like she's in 'prison'

The Prime Minister said that as far as she knows the number of letters sent to the 1922 Committee has not reached the 48 needed for no confidence vote.

She said her job was ‘making sure we do get that final good deal for the country,’ and insisted it is the national interest that drives her to not give up after a disastrous week that saw her government fall into chaos.

She said: ”This is not about me it is about what is right for the people of this country. It is about what is in the national interest. That is what motivates me.’

Theresa May has warned that if she is ousted as leader it will be (Picture: AP)

The Prime Minister added that she will be returning to Brussels to meet with the President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, at some point this week.

She added: ‘Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed… there is more negotiation taking place.’

When asked if she knew if the limit of 48 letters of no confidence had been reached, which could potentially remove her as leader, she said: ‘‘As far as I know no it has not.’

May also took the opportunity to criticise Jeremy Corbyn, who just moments before had told her to ‘go back and do something better’ over her deal, before adding that he does not believe she negotiated the ‘best deal possible’.

She said: ‘Jeremy Corbyn has made it clear he is going to vote against this whatever. He hasn’t even read it, he doesn’t fully know what’s in it.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

‘And yet he’s already saying he’s going to vote against it. Why? Because he’s playing party politics with this.’

Mrs May has faced a tumultuous week in parliament in which seven members of her own party resigned from their position in protest over her deal.

In a piece published in the Sunday Telegraph this morning, Zac Goldsmith became the 24th MP to openly submit a letter of no confidence in his party leader.

The former London mayoral candidate claimed he had decided on his actions as May would ‘not change course’ on her plan, and added that he acted with ‘great reluctance’.

Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Goldsmith said: ‘The notion that the choice is between this deal, no deal or no Brexit is a false one. That is what the EU wants us to believe.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

‘There is time to do a deal that will suit both sides better than no deal and to bring forward the option that Brussels has long been expecting. That would be a SuperCanada style free trade agreement. But there is no time to lose.



‘The Prime Minister has been clear that she will not change course, and so with huge reluctance, I have submitted a letter to the 1922 Committee urging a vote that will, I hope, give us the chance of a fresh start.’

It it now thought around 37 MPs have submitted a letter, although some have not gone public with it, which if true would mean just 11 letters are now needed to trigger a no confidence vote.

The party would need 15% of its MPS – in this case 48 – to submit their letters to the Tory backbench 1922 Committee

Got a story for Metro.co.uk? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.