(Reuters) - British lawmaker Crispin Blunt has sent a letter of no confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May to the chairman of the committee in charge of Conservative Party leadership contests, the 26th MP in the party to do so, The Times reported on Monday.

A challenge to May is triggered if 48 Conservative lawmakers write letters demanding a confidence vote to Graham Brady, chairman of the party’s “1922 Committee”, which represents lawmakers who have no government jobs.

“I want to encourage those who are thinking about it; get it done,” The Times newspaper quoted Blunt as saying.

May said on Monday she was delaying a planned vote on her Brexit deal as it would likely be rejected “by a significant margin”. Colleagues had told May that she faced a rout in the parliamentary vote set for Tuesday.