Theresa May returns from the Easter recess facing pressure from all quarters of her party to consider her position as prime minister – but secure in the knowledge that there remains very little they can do to force her to go. Here’s a look at the pressure points on her.

The cabinet

Most Tory MPs believe the only way to force May from office would be for a mass delegation of cabinet ministers to tell her that her time is up. For now, that seems unlikely – Tory cabinet ministers who have an eye on the leadership are less keen to see a contest before the first phase of Brexit has been delivered.

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Cabinet ministers are also unlikely to act as a bloc, with remainers and leavers in the cabinet showing no sign of acting together. Should May decide to agree some form of closer customs arrangement as a means of getting Labour to back the deal, then it could prompt some cabinet walkouts, such as the international trade secretary, Liam Fox. However, even two or three resignations are unlikely to persuade May to step down.

Tory backbenchers

For now, May is protected from a binding challenge to her leadership by a party rule that means she has a year’s grace after winning a vote of no confidence in December. The 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers could change the rules to allow a challenge sooner – a move which could convince the prime minister to go of her own accord.

Opinion is split on the committee. Nigel Evans, the committee’s joint executive secretary, said the process for selecting a new leader “can’t start soon enough” but others are known to be more cautious.

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The committee, which will meet and vote on Tuesday, could decide to scrap the grace period altogether, which would mean another vote could take place as soon as 15% of Tory MPs submit letters of no confidence. MPs including Mark Francois and Andrea Jenkyns have already submitted further letters.

Tory grassroots

Grassroots Conservative activists will try to press May to stand down as prime minister by forcing an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to allow a vote of no confidence from party members. The vote would not be binding on the prime minister, but the National Conservative Convention (NCC) is obliged to hold the meeting if more than 65 Tory association chairs called for one to be held.

Organisers behind the call for an EGM have suggested the threshold has already been reached. The motion drafted by the Bethnal Green Conservatives chair, Dinah Glover, says party members “no longer feel that Mrs May is the right person to continue as prime minister to lead us forward in the negotiations”.

An extraordinary meeting of the NCC – the members’ body comprised of about 800 senior party officers – has never been called in the past and members would need to be given at least 28 days’ notice of the meeting. Glover said there was little campaigners could do to force the party to hold an EGM quickly – but hoped that the symbolism would be enough to force cabinet ministers to act.

Tory donors

Donors have openly voiced their frustration at May’s leadership – mostly from a pro-business perspective and over fears about a no-deal Brexit. On Monday, Alexander Temerko, who has donated more than £1m to the Conservatives, said both sides of the Brexit divide were angry at May’s leadership and suggested to the Times that donors give their cash “not to CCHQ but to associations and MPs”.

Reports have suggested that the Tory chief executive, Mick Davis, a former mining tycoon, has warned about the party’s lack of funds to fight EU elections.

Other Tory remainer donors have also called for the prime minister to get a grip on her mutinous party. Maurizio Bragagni, whose cable company Tratos has given more than £200,000 to the Tories, and Rami Ranger, who has given more than £1m, have been among those clamouring for compromise.

Other parties

May’s most direct and imminent threat may be from outside her own party – most prominently Nigel Farage’s new Brexit party. Two surveys have suggested Conservative members and activists are likely to abandon the party in vast numbers in the European parliament elections in favour of the Brexit party. Tory remainers could also be wooed by Change UK or the Lib Dems.

A poll of Conservative councillors found 40% were planning to vote for the Brexit party, and only 52% for the party they represent in local government.

If May faces humiliation in the local elections – which Tory candidates have described as looking “extraordinarily bad” – then she could decide to go of her own accord, or that could happen after the EU elections if Farage’s party overwhelm the Conservatives.