Britain and Europe have agreed a Brexit extension. Theresa May must now get her deal approved or a no-deal exit looms.

Speculation is mounting that a coup is underway to oust Theresa May from Number 10 Downing Street.

Talk of a cabinet coup within hours has reached fever pitch amid reports that ministers are plotting a coup to get rid of her.

The Sunday Times is reporting that the beleaguered British Prime Minister could be replaced by an interim leader to guide the UK through Brexit. Michael Gove is the leading contender to be interim leader before a full leadership vote, according to The Mail on Sunday.

Mrs May’s former policy adviser MP George Freeman said it was “all over for the PM”, tweeting: “She’s done her best. But across the country you can see the anger.

An estimated one million people opposed to Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union marched through central London to demand a new referendum as the deepening Brexit crisis risks sinking Prime Minister Theresa May’s premiership.

I’m afraid it’s all over for the PM. She’s done her best. But across the country you can see the anger. Everyone feels betrayed. Government’s gridlocked. Trust in democracy collapsing. This cant go on. We need a new PM who can reach out & build some sort of coalition for a PlanB. — George Freeman MP (@GeorgeFreemanMP) March 23, 2019

‘TOXIC, ERRATIC’

May, who voted to stay in the EU and won the top job in the chaos following the 2016 referendum, had vowed to deliver Brexit but she undermined her premiership with a botched snap election in 2017 which cost her party its parliamentary majority.

The Brexit divorce deal she struck with the EU in November has been overwhelmingly rejected twice by British MPs.

The Sunday Times cited 11 unidentified senior ministers and said they had agreed that the PM should stand down, warning that she has become a toxic and erratic figure whose judgment has “gone haywire”.

“The end is nigh. She will be gone in 10 days,” The Sunday Times quoted an unidentified minister as saying.

“Her judgment has started to go haywire. You can’t be a member of the cabinet who just puts your head in the sand,” the newspaper cited a second unidentified minister as saying.

A few of my favourite signs from the #PeoplesVoteMarch pic.twitter.com/VhcIBlRZZg — Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) March 23, 2019

CHALLENGERS LINE UP

The Sunday Times reported that May’s de-facto deputy, David Lidington, is one contender to be interim prime minister but others are pushing for Environment Secretary Michael Gove or Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

The newspaper said cabinet ministers would confront May on Monday. If she refuses to go, ministers would threaten to resign.

May’s office declined to comment on the reports.

Betting odds indicate there is now a 20 per cent chance that May will be out of her job by the end of this month, Ladbrokes said on Saturday. Brexit had been due to happen on March 29 before May secured a delay in talks with the European Union on Thursday.

Now a May 22 departure date will apply if parliament rallies behind the British prime minister next week and she is able to pass her deal. If she fails to do so, Britain will have until April 12 to offer a new plan or decide to leave the European Union without a treaty

If Brexit were a cat...pic.twitter.com/1BTSSX6DDy — Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) January 16, 2019

SEEKING SUPPORT

Prime Minister Theresa May is making a last-ditch bid this weekend to win support among British MPs for her EU divorce deal ahead of another pivotal week in the Brexit process.

After securing a short delay to Britain’s departure from the European Union beyond March, May appealed directly to lawmakers to contact her “over the coming days as parliament prepares to take a momentous decision”.

“I hope we can all agree that we are now at the moment of decision,” May wrote to MPs on Friday, as she softened her tone after lambasting them earlier this week for their intransigence over her plan.

“You have a difficult job to do and it was not my intention to make it any more difficult.

“People on all sides of the debate hold passionate views and I respect those differences.”

Next week could see MPs vote fora third time on her unpopular withdrawal agreement -- though May said in her letter this would only happen if there were signs of “sufficient support”.

The House of Commons has already overwhelmingly rejected the pact twice since it was struck with the EU last year and theDemocratic Unionist Party, her parliamentary allies, indicated Friday they remain opposed.

The government is set to publish on Monday its plans for the House of Commons next week.

I fear this is now correct. As predicted last year, I always feared that delivering her Brexit Withdrawal would destroy all the PM’s political capital. It now has. This chaos can’t go on. We need someone who can restore trust, build bridges & deliver a OneNation #CommonMarkwt2.0 https://t.co/dwvnOLolOh — George Freeman MP (@GeorgeFreemanMP) March 23, 2019

UNCERTAINTY REIGNS

Britain’s parliament, and cabinet, has been deadlocked for months over Brexit, with lawmakers unable to decide how to implement the 2016 referendum vote to leave, reflecting bitter divisions nationwide.

On Saturday, an estimated one million pro-Europeans marched through central London demanding another public vote on leaving the bloc, according to organisers.

Following the agreement with the EU to postpone Brexit -- which MPs must still vote into law next week to prevent a no-deal departure on Friday -- the path forward still remains highly uncertain.

If May’s deal finally wins MPs’ backing Britain will depart on May 22 under the terms of her deal, but if it is not passed in the coming weeks London must outline a new plan or face a no-deal Brexit as early as April 12.

A request then for another, likely lengthy, extension would require holding European Parliament elections in May.

The prime minister and Brexiteers have decried the prospect, saying it would be unfair to the narrow majority of Britons who voted to leave the bloc in 2016.

“Am I prepared to go back to my constituents and say we’re not leaving the EU, we’re going to go for a much longer extension...?” Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi told the BBC.

“I’m not prepared to do that. I don’t think the prime minister is prepared to do that.”

Opponents, however, point out none of the looming chaos was discussed before the Brexit vote, instead pro-leave advocates described the process as a ‘walk in the park’ with ‘immediate benefits’.

On a busy weekend of Brexit meetings, good to join @iainastewart and @MKConservatives and talk to local residents ahead of the council elections on 2 May. pic.twitter.com/fI1mEReGMZ — Theresa May (@theresa_may) March 23, 2019

ALTERNATIVE WAY

Reports suggested May was close to allowing MPs so-called “indicative votes” to reveal the level of support for the various ways forward.

They range from stopping Brexit altogether or holding a second referendum, to remaining in a customs union with the EU or its single market.

But ardent Brexiteers in the cabinet are said to be against the move, which could prompt mass resignations.

Amid the impasse, lawmakers have signalled they could try to wrestle control of the legislative process away from May’s floundering government to force indicative votes.

An amendment tabled by a cross-party group of senior MPs earlier this month, which would have given them temporary control of what motions parliament considers, failed by just two votes.

Labour lawmaker Hilary Benn, chair of the Commons’ Brexit committee, has already unveiled an updated version to be laid Monday.

“It aims to start the process of trying to identify whether there is an alternative way forward that the House of Commons can support,” he said on Twitter