Tories 'preparing to oust Theresa May' ahead of Queen's Speech vote

John Ashmore

Conservative MPs are reportedly considering calling a vote of no confidence in Theresa May if she cannot win a key vote on the Queen's Speech.



The Prime Minister is still trying to put together an agreement with the DUP which would allow a Tory minority government to function.

But party sources told the Sunday Times they could move to depose Mrs May if it looks like she will lose the crunch vote on the Government's legislative agenda, due at the end of this month.

As many as a dozen MPs are apparently prepared to send a letter declaring no confidence in their leader to the backbench 1922 committee, although there would need to be a total of 48 signatures to force a vote.

"She’s going to have to go sooner rather than later," a former minister told the paper.

"The critical moment is June 28 and 29, when there are votes on the Queen’s speech. If it looks like they will be lost, you have to strike."

An unnamed minister suggested Mrs May needed to improve her performance or face a challenge.

"She had better stop feeling sorry for herself, pull up her socks and start to lead — and if she can’t do that she should go. Shape up or ship out," they said.

South Cambridgeshire MP Heidi Allen issued a coded warning about her boss' future, saying the public wanted "a leader and a party that will carry us through this most turbulent of periods"

She added: "We have to change and if we don't we deserve to die."

BREXIT CHALLENGE

The Sunday Telegraph reports that Brexit could be the issue that does for the May premiership, with eurosceptic MPs prepared to remove her if the Government deviates from its current position.

"If we had a strong signal that she were backsliding I think she would be in major difficulty," one MP told the paper.

They said the plan would be to run a "stalking horse" candidate to force Mrs May to resign.

The negotiations will take centre stage again tomorrow when Brexit Secretary David Davis travels to Brussels to begin talks with his EU counterpart, Michel Barnier.