FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Speaking on the Economist Asks podcast, Mr Rees-Mogg told Anne McElvoy: “I think the current position for the Conservative party is risky. That we have ignored our voters and we haven’t recognised that things change. The collapse comes after we don’t leave on the 29th March, after the Prime Minister says a hundred times that we will leave. “Then we have the local elections where we lost huge amounts of seats and we lose them with huge swings, from having seats with two-thirds of the vote to losing them with two-thirds of the vote against us. “But the politics of this government is to do a stitch up with Labour. Its sort of politics as normal, lets ignore what the voters say and let’s stitch it up in a backroom and sort it out.”

Earlier on Saturday, Change UK's spokesman said the party could form a pact with the Liberal Democrats to not stand against each other's candidates in the next general election and ramp up the number of Remainers in Parliament. Chuka Umunna said his party could form an alliance with the Liberal Democrats - saying that remain backing politcians need to "work even more closely together" after the European elections in an attenpt to block Brexit. Mr Umunna told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on Saturday: "The remain forces in this country need to work even more closely together than we have managed to achieve up to this point between now and the general election."

Jacob Rees-Mogg said the Conservatives

It follows Mrs May making an emotional statement from Number 10 on Friday morning, announcing she would leave office from June 7. But she will remain as caretaker Prime Minister while the Conservatives elect a new leader – prompting speculation to fly. A NO deal Brexit is now more likelym with Brexiteer Boris Johnson a clear favourite to take office in July.

Brexit news: Mr Umunna said Change UK will form a remainer pact with Lib Debs to stop Brexit

Boris Johnson quickly announced his plan to launch a leadership bid, and the Brexiteer and former London mayor seems the bookies favourite to succeed Mrs May. Mr Johnson stressed he would be prepared to back a no-deal departure to ensure the UK leaves the EU on October 31. Bookies Paddy Power have Mr Johnson as the favourite to take over the party at 10/11.

Brexit Live: Boris is tipped as the bookies favourite to become Mrs May's successor

He is closely followed by former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab at 5/1 and Michael Gove coming in at 8/1. International Development Secretary Rory Stewart also launched a leadership bid – but said he could not serve in a government led by Mr Johnson because of his stance on a possible no-deal exit from the EU. International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox has dismissed claims he may join the race for Tory leadership. FOLLOW EXPRESS.CO.UK BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES.

9.10pm update: Dominic Raab CONFIRMS he will take part in Tory leadership battle for May’s job Dominic Raab has confirmed he will take part in the leadership battle to become Prime Minister - a day after Theresa May threw in the towel. He is now the sixth candidate to officially announce they will take part in the race for the top spot after Mrs May leaves on June 7. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, and former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey are all in the running. The prominent Brexiteer made the announcement this evening.

8.20pm update: Sinn Fein demands Irish unity because of Brexit Sinn Fein has pressed the Irish government to call a unity referendum, following the results of an exit poll. Findings from an RTE exit poll suggest there is significant support among Irish voters for a united Ireland. The island has been divided into two separate jurisdictions since 1921. The poll found that 65% of voters polled indicated they would vote in favour of a united Ireland if a referendum was held tomorrow. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill said now is the time for Ireland's leaders to "prioritise planning for reunification". "The issue of Irish unity has taken on a new dynamic because of Brexit, which has again showed the failure of partition and division," she said.

Michelle O'Neill said now is the time for Ireland to unite

7pm update: Tory bosses DEMAND contenders face public grilling if they want Theresa May’s job Tory leadership contenders after Theresa May’s job will face a public grilling so they do not end up wooden like the embattled Prime Minister. Leading Tories who want Mrs May’s top job following her departure on June 7 will be forced to perform to avoid another “Maybot” scenario. Rounds of public grillings will take place, including one possible televised appearance, The Sun reports, which will test the abilities of frontrunners such as Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, Andrea Leadsom and Matt Hancock. The request has come from grassroots Tories from the party’s headquarters who have demanded final candidates do two events in front of them in regions across the UK. Andrew Sharpe, chairman of the National Conservative Convention - the party’s voluntary wing - said: “It’s important the membership all get a chance to hear from the candidates themselves wherever they are, in whatever geographical region. “The membership would be extremely unimpressed if the process was truncated.”

6pm update: Cabinet newbie launches attack on Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock amid leadership contest Rory Stewart, who only recently joined the Cabinet after taking up the post of International Development Secretary, launched a scathing attack on two contenders - Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock, Health Secretary. Mr Stewart said he could not serve in a government led by Mr Johnson because of his stance on a possible no-deal exit from the EU. Mr Stewart told BBC Radio 4's Today programme a no-deal exit would be "damaging and dishonest". He said: "I could not serve in a government whose policy was to push this country into a no-deal Brexit. I could not serve with Boris Johnson. "I spoke to Boris, I suppose, about two weeks ago about this and I thought at the time he had assured me that he wouldn't push for a no-deal Brexit. "So, we had a conversation about 20, 25 minutes and I left the room reassured by him that he wouldn't do this. "But, it now seems that he is coming out for a no-deal Brexit." Mr Stewart was promoted to Theresa May’s Cabinet after Gavin Williamson left his role as Defence Secretary.

Rory Stewart only recently joined the Cabinet this month

5.20pm update: Rees-Mogg asked who he wants as Tory leader - this is what he said Jacob Rees-Mogg hinted he was keen for Boris Johnson to take on the role of Prime Minister and leader of the crumbling Conservatives, adding Britain needs “a really big figure” to get the UK out of the EU in the wake of Theresa May’s teary resignation. The outspoken Tory MP and Leave campaigner gave a candid interview to the Economist that saw him refer to Mrs May’s failed attempts at securing a deal with the bloc, which subsequently led to the demise of the Party and cost the Prime Minister her job just yesterday. Speaking just three days before Mrs May’s emotional farewell on the steps of No10 yesterday morning, Mr Rees-Mogg hinted that Mr Johnson was the top man for the role before adding Britain was not currently living in “ordinary times”. He said: “Who is my favoured choice? Over Boris, I think from a Conservative point of view and for the country, we need a really big figure. There are lots of excellent prime ministers during ordinary times. This is not ordinary times.

The star name will not always be the best choice. There may be times when Jiminy Cricket would make a better leader than Pinocchio. — Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) May 25, 2019

4.00pm update: Mark Francois names Breixteer he would support in leadership contest - and it's not Boris Speaking to BBC News, the European Research Group (ERG) member claimed he was yet to decide which Tory candidate he will support to replace the Prime Minister. But Mr Francois admitted he will support a strong Brexiteer like Steve Baker if he were to announce his candidacy. He said: “I genuinely haven’t decided yet. It will be a Brexiteer. “If someone like Steve Baker was to run, I might be attracted to vote for Steve. “Remember like me he continued to vote against the withdrawal agreement, even on the so-called meaningful vote three. Boris folded, Dominic Raab folded, Steve didn’t. “So, you know, I’m not sure if he’s going to run or not but if he did I’d probably be quite tempted to vote for Steve Baker.”

Brexit news: Mark Francois backed a Brexiteer - if he was to announce his candidacy for leadership

2.10pm update: Prisons minister warns leaderships contenders of supporting no deal for 'self interest' Robert Buckland MP said potential candidiates for leadership should conferfully consdier options before supporting 'no-deal' for reasons of 'self-interest'. Mr Buckland told BBC2's newsnight: "My message to candidates is to think very carefully before hurtling away to a position of 'no deal' and not just in the self-interest of a leadership competition. "For them to box themselves into their red lines is not the wisest way to go into this leadership election"

2.30pm update: Mrs May to hold two metings in Brussels before departure BBC News reporter Adam Fleming said Mrs May still has two crucial meetings with EU leaders in Brussels before she quits as Prime Minister. The meetings raise fears of last-minute concessions to the EU. While Mrs May will step down as Tory party leader on June 7, she will still serve as Prime Minister until the end of July, when the next leader of the country is announced. Mr Fleming said on the BBC Brexitcast: “That means she has two more EU summits to come to - the one next Tuesday to parcel out the top jobs and the end of term summit in June. “I don’t think she’ll do a doorstop on the red carpet. She has fired herself and she always hated doing the press doorsteps in Brussels.”

Mrs May will have to attend two more meetings in Brussels before she leaves as Prime Minister

1.30pm update: Brexit uncertainty sees EU migration RISE as Theresa May fails to meet target Net EU migration rose at the end of 250,00 people – well above Theresa May’s target of tens of thousands of skilled migrant workers The new National Office for Statistics (ONS) figures showed Net migration had risen from the end of 2018. In the last quarter of 2018, the rise was at its highest since the 2016 referendum. At that point, net migration fell to its lowest in five years. Overall migration remains above Theresa May’s target of “tens of thousands”, with 258,000 more migrants arriving in the UK in the year to December. The figures show 201,000 people came from EU nations, while a further 127,000 left the UK. It showed a rise of 17,000 from 57,000 for the year up to September, with the rise due to EU nationals departing the UK falling from 145,000 to 127,000. Net migration from the EU has fallen since the EU referendum in 2016.

Net migration is being bolstered by Brexit uncertainty

12.45pm update: McDonnell claims moderate Tory MPs would "bring down an extemist" Prime Minister The Shadow Chancellor claimed moderate MPs would seek to remove a Prime Minister who is aiming for a no-deal Brexit in October. Mr Mcdonnell, who already said Theresa May's successor would receive a vote of no-confidence, said said there could be a “majority” in the Commons for a general election if a Brexiteer was to take office. Mr McDonnell told the BBC: "We will be taking to the other political parties This isn’t a matter of asking people to be disloyal to their beliefs or their party. “We’re now possibly faced with an extremist leader of the Conservative party coming in, willing to take us over the edge of a no-deal. "Faced with that situation, I think there may well be a majority in the House of Commons to bring about some form of public vote – and that could include a general election. “We can’t stand by and let an extremist Conservative leader take their country down with them.” Boris Johnson, the Tory frontrunner for leadership has already ruled out an Article 50 extension, saying he would be prepared to leave the EU without a deal.

Brexit news: John McDonnell believes a cross party alliance would 'take down' a Brexiteer PM

12.00pm update: Farage slams Theresa May “as the worst Prime Minister” Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage said: “Other than having the wrong personality for the job, Mrs May’s principal problem was that she never believed in Brexit” Continuing, the Brexit Party leader said No deal was the best option for moving forward. Mr Farage said: “The new leader need to unequivocal from their first dat in the job stating that Britain will leave the EU on October 31 come what may. “If they want to even begin to make their party a credible outfit again, and if they ave any serious desire to win backache trust which has been squandered, putting a no deal Brexit back on the table is the only way to do it. “In my opinion, Theresa May has been the worst Prime Minister in Britain’s history. “She completely misjudged the mood of the country. “Her successor will fare no better unless they vow to take the UK out of the EU by 31 October.”

Brexit Live: Mr Farage called Theresa May "the worst UK Prime Minister"

11.45am update: Cameron says May’s resignation is “the right decision” The former Prime Minister and Tory leader said he felt “sorry” for Theresa May - but insisted it was the “right decision” for her to step down from office. While praising Mrs May’s sense of duty, the former leader, who triggered the EU referendum in 2016, Mr Cameron also alluded to his own departure three years ago to allow “fresh leadership”. Speaking In Oxford, Mr Cameron said: “It is extremely painful and difficult to step outside Downing Street and say those things. “When you come to know your time is up, it’s extremely hard to take. “I feel desperately sorry for Theresa and Phillip, She worked incredibly hard , she’s a dedicated public servant. “She has made the right decision - and I hope the spirit of compromise is continued.” Mr Cameron refused to comment on whether Boris Johnson would make a good Prime Minister -insisting tat he would not give a “running commentary”.

Brexit live: the former Prime Minister said he emphasised with Mrs May, but said she was right to go

11.15am: Czech Prime Minister hopes Britain will hold second referendum Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis says he hopes Britain will hold another referendum on leaving the European Union. It follows Prime Minister Theresa May announcing her resignation on Friday - casting the future of Brexit into further uncertainty as the Tory party looks to elect a new leader. Mr Babis said: “I still hope that the [British] people finally understand that the misinformation that that they received [about Brexit] is not true and Britain will stay in the European Union.” He continued by saying the UK remaining in the bloc would be “the best for all.” He has called Britain one of the best allies of his country in the bloc because “it’s a big state that counterbalances the dominance of Germany and France.”

11.00am update: Rudd 'concerned' over potential leader's 'enthusiasm' for no-deal Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, who claimed she is not running for the top job, told the BBC: "I would be very concerned about somebody who is too enthusiastic about no deal. "It is very important that whoever takes this on looks for a solution and tries to work to find where the majority of the House (of Commons) is." More than a dozen Tory MPs are understood to be considering a bid, with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt indicating he will be in the race. Former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey also put herself forward "as a future leader".

Brexit live: Amber Rudd expressed concerns over a potential Brexiteer as leader