
Theresa May promised to 'listen' and work across parties to deliver Brexit tonight after dramatically surviving a Tory coup bid.

The Prime Minister admitted that she had suffered a 'significant' rebellion after being backed by a margin of 200 to 117 in a no-confidence ballot

The win staved off what would have been an ignominious end to her time as leader - and means she cannot be challenged by her own party again for 12 months.

But with more than a third of Conservative MPs refusing to support her and a civil war raging over Brexit, the outcome still underlines the scale of the problems she faces. She has also been forced to admit that she will not lead the party into the next general election.

Eurosceptics and Labour said the numbers were 'shocking' and a 'disaster', while Cabinet ministers queued up to talk up the positives. Jeremy Hunt said her 'stamina, resilience and decency' had 'again won the day', while Treasury minister Liz Truss said it was 'convincing'.

Speaking in Downing Street afterwards, a clearly shaken Mrs May admitted that she must get an improved deal from the EU with 'legally binding' assurances on the Irish border backstop.

'I am pleased to have received the backing of my colleagues in tonight's ballot,' she said.

'Whilst I'm grateful for that support, significant number of colleagues did cast their vote against me and I have listened to what they have said.

'We now need to get on with the job of delivering for the British people and building a better future for this country.'

Mrs May added: 'That must start here in Westminster with politicians on all sides coming together to act in the national interest.

'I have heard what the House of Commons said about the Northern Ireland backstop. I go to the European Council tomorrow and I will be seeking legal and political guarantees that will assuage those concerns.'

There were cheers as 1922 committee chairman Sir Graham Brady declared the nailbiting result in the Commons tonight.

The victory was announced after she delivered an emotional final message to MPs packed into a Commons committee room, acknowledging widespread unrest with her Brexit strategy.

But she appealed for more time to strike a settlement with the EU that they can support. Some MPs at the behind-closed doors session wept as she confirmed she will bow out gracefully once that task is complete.

The 317 Tories then spent two hours voting in the no-confidence contest, before the premier learned her fate. Boris Johnson was tight lipped as he turned up to vote.

Allies insisted earlier that Mrs May would fight on even if she only won by a single vote.

Theresa May put a brave face on her situation tonight as she reacted to the outcome of the Tory no-confidence ballot

There were cheers as 1922 committee chairman Graham Brady announced the result in the Commons tonight.

Theresa May is said to have left some politicians in tears as she told the gathering in a Commons committee room (pictured) that she will bow out gracefully once that task is complete

Some observers posted photographs of the corridor outside the dramatic Tory 1922 committee meeting tonight

Some MPs tweeted images of the ballot papers as the no confidence vote took place at Westminster tonight

As the Conservative Party psychodrama took another twist at Westminster today:

Labour frontbenchers gleefully seized on the turmoil to demand a general election, with shadow trade secretary Barry Gardiner saying the public would put them in power 'given half a chance'. But the party is still refusing to call a confidence vote in Parliament.

Tory Remainers condemned the coup bid, with veteran Ken Clarke branding it 'unhelpful and irresponsible'. Backbencher Heidi Allen said she would also support the PM but became the latest to moot a government of national unity.

The EU watched with dismay as Mrs May was thrown into chaos, despite a series of senior figures flatly dismissing her pleas for more concessions on the Irish border backstop during yesterday. No10 aides have admitted there is no prospect of amendments being agreed before a crunch EU summit tomorrow.

Chancellor Philip Hammond launched a furious assault on Brexit 'extremists' trying to undermine the government.

Trade Secretary Liam Fox made clear the Cabinet will not allow Mrs May's deal to be put to Parliament unless there are meaningful concessions on the Irish border backstop.

The DUP, which is propping the Tories up in power, stepped up threats by warning that the current policy on Brexit is 'totally unacceptable'.

Andrew Griffiths, who was embroiled in a sex-text scandal, and Charlie Elphicke, who faced harassment claims, had the Tory whip restored just in time for them to take part in the vote. Tory sources pointed out while the former was intending to vote for the PM, the latter is expected to go against her.

Ministers were eager to move on from the bitter struggle, even though many are known to harbour misgivings about Mrs May's Brexit deal.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt posted on Twitter: "Prime Minister wins confidence motion with 63% of the vote. Now let's crack on with getting the changes we need to the deal on offer and press on with no deal preparations. We are leaving the EU in 15 weeks."

Jacob Rees-Mogg told Sky News he still believed 'someone else' should try to secure a good Brexit.

‘It’s a very bad result for the Prime Minister, 163 Tory MPs are on the payroll…and therefore of the backbenchers the Prime Minster lost very heavily…Clearly the Prime Minister has lost the support of the backbenches of the Conservative Party, and that is not a good position for her to be in,’ he said.

‘Having failed in her main plank of policy, it would be constitutional normal for her to retire from the fray.’

He added: ‘Someone else ought to try to deliver Brexit.’

Other Brexiteers were keen to make clear they accepted the result even if they did not like it. Steve Double said: 'The PM has won the confidence vote 200-117. We are a democratic party and I accept the result. However the margin should send a clear message to the leadership that over 1/3 of MPs have serious concerns and need to be addressed.'

Crispin Blunt said: ‘The leadership question is now behind us for a year and we must get behind Theresa May in delivering Brexit.

‘The realities remain. Her proposed withdrawal deal is a bad deal. She was clear today we leave on 29 March 2019. Nothing to fear but fear itself! Get it done!’

Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg told Sky News he still believed 'someone else' should try to secure a good Brexit

Nadine Dorries, a leading critic of the PM, said: ‘The PM has secured the confidence of the Parliamentary party tonight.

‘It’s not the way I voted, however, I will fully respect the result.’

The contest was held after hardliners finally secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to trigger the process.

During the day, more than 180 MPs had publicly declared that they will back her, indicating that she was on course to survive.

However, as it is a secret ballot there was no way of telling if they were being truthful. One senior MP privately admitted their colleagues are the 'most duplicitous electorate in the history of humankind'.

As MPs sweltered in the stifling heat of committee room 14 this evening, Mrs May is said to have told them in her 'heart' she would like to carry on but she recognised that was not the 'will' of the party.

Home Office minister Victoria Atkins was one of those nearly overcome by the emotion of the moment. Asked for her reaction as she emerged from the room, she welled up and clutched her chest.

Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke said that some Tory MPs had tears in their eyes as the PM told the room she would not lead the party into the next election.

He said : 'She basically said it is not her intention to lead the party into the 2022 election.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove had urged Tory MPs not to trigger the no confidence vote in the Prime Minister

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom (pictured tonight) also spoke out for Mrs May despite concerns about the progress in negotiations with the EU

'I think she's at a stage where she is 100 per cent committed to delivering Brexit. That's where her focus is.

'And her opening remarks were: 'I am not going to call a snap election. There is an impasse and we will get through it but I'm not going to call a snap election.'

Asked what the feeling was like in the room when she said she would not lead the party into the 2022 election, he said: 'Shock. There were a couple of tears in some colleagues' eyes.'

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis, who had hinted he was voting against the PM tonight, left the committee room before the end of Mrs May's appearance.

Under Tory rules Mrs May - who cancelled a planned visit to Ireland and a Cabinet meeting this afternoon but will head for a crucial Brussels summit tomorrow - is now immune from challenge by her own MPs for another 12 months.

Allies believe she would have romped home if a contest had been staged last month - but her position has weakened significantly since then.

The PM said she would not give up after Eurosceptics secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to force a ballot that could end her time as leader

'She fundamentally said that she recognised his vote she are having tonight is about who leads us through the Brexit process, and we will need to rethink, she understand that people want something different for the next election but that is not what we are deciding tonight.'

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd told journalists: 'She knows that in order to secure Brexit she needs to hold the party together and win back the DUP and address their concerns about the backstop.

'She made the commitment that she would not be taking us into the general election in 2022.

'She reminded people why she is in office: to deliver on social justice. It was a strong speech.'

Ms Rudd said the party's Brexiteers are 'always going to be very difficult to please'.

'I hope we will be able to settle this and unite – because otherwise the real danger to our communities will be a Labour government,' she added.

At a rowdy PMQs earlier, watched by husband Philip from the gallery, Mrs May warned Brexit will need to be delayed beyond March if she loses and Jeremy Corbyn might end up in power.

She appealed for more time to secure further concessions on the controversial exit package she has thrashed out with the EU.

Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the powerful Tory 1922 committee, emerged this morning to announce the threshold of 48 letters had been 'exceeded' and Mrs May was eager to resolve the issue 'rapidly'.

Rebels were jubilant that they had finally secured the numbers last night after Cabinet minister Owen Paterson joined efforts to oust Mrs May in the wake of her humiliating decision to drop a Commons vote on her Brexit deal.

Previously veteran Eurosceptics have appeared unwilling to sign up to an all-out revolt, despite deep unhappiness with Mrs May's Brexit plans. Sir Bernard Jenkin also revealed this morning that he had sent a letter and would be voting to get the premier out.

Cabinet ministers rallied to try and shore up Mrs May, with Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Amber Rudd, Penny Mordaunt and Brandon Lewis among those making clear they will be supporting her.

But despite their entreaties the Tories quickly descended into outright civil war, with David Davis hinting that he might vote against the PM, while her allies accused mutineers of being 'divisive and disloyal'.

The ballot boxes used in the confidence vote tonight (pictured left). David Davis (right) hinted he might vote against Mrs May

Former Brexit Secretary Mr Davis refused to say explicitly which way he would vote today, but dropped a strong hint that he might go against Mrs May.

'I'll cast my vote this evening in the national interest... that means we must have a reset of negotiations, and a reset that protects the integrity,' he told reporters.

Mr Rees-Mogg said the premier's Brexit plan would 'bring down the government if carried forward' and the party 'will not tolerate it'.

'Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go,' he said.

But defence minister Tobias Ellwood told him on Twitter: 'You are fuelling blue on blue.

'A disloyal & divisive characteristic disruptive to both Gov & Party- never rewarded by country we seek to represent.

'Set your stall - and accept gracefully if you don't get your way. You are part of a team.'

Another loyalist, Simon Hoare, jibed at Eurosceptics: 'Were the result to be 52-48 it would be accepted right? Just asking for a friend.'

Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt warned that the Conservative Party was 'dancing on a precipice' of division.

Attacking the ERG Eurosceptic group he said: 'They have overreached themselves before...when and if they lose this position I want to see some evidence of when they will compromise.'

The drama has thrown the government into turmoil just as Mrs May is scrambling to wring more concessions out of the EU.

Chancellor Philip Hammond launched a furious assault on Brexit 'extremists' trying to undermine the government

She spent yesterday jetting between capitals, holding talks with Dutch PM Mark Rutte in The Hague, German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, and Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels.

Mrs May said she was cancelling her plan to travel to Ireland for talks with Leo Varadkar after PMQs this afternoon. She had been due to straight on from there to a crucial EU summit in the Belgian capital tomorrow and Friday.

She said: 'A leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the parliamentary arithmetic.

'Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just when we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest.

'The only people whose interests would be serves are Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell.'

The premier said switching leader now would 'put our country's future at risk' and 'create uncertainty when we can least afford it'.

'The new leader wouldn't have time to renegotiate a new Withdrawal Agreement and get the legislation through parliament by March 29, so one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it.'

Justice Secretary David Gauke said it was 'vital' Mrs May wins and warned Brexit will have to be postponed if she loses. 'Clearly there would have to be a delay,' he said.

Mr Gauke insisted the reputational damage for the Tories from sending the country into 'chaos' would be catastrophic. 'People would struggle to forgive us if that happens,' he said.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said: 'She deserves support but also because the country does not need this distraction right now'.

Chancellor Philip Hammond unloaded on the Brexiteers saying the ballot was an opportunity to 'flush out the extremists'.

Asked what margin Mrs May needed to win by, he said: 'One vote clearly is enough in any election that is first past the post,' he said.

'I think what this vote today will do is flush out the extremists who are trying to advance a particular agenda which would really not be in the interests of the British people or the British economy.'

But Dr Fox, a strong Brexiteer, signalled a note of caution that the PM's support from ministers is contingent on progress in negotiations with the EU.

'It is very difficult to support the deal if we don't get changes to the backstop - I don't think it will get through (parliament), I am not even sure the cabinet will agree for it to be put to the House of Commons,' he told the BBC.

Environment Secretary Mr Gove, who has been touted as a possible leadership contender, tweeted: 'I am backing the Prime Minister 100 per cent - and I urge every Conservative MP to do the same.

'She is battling hard for our country and no one is better placed to ensure we deliver on the British people's decision to leave the EU.'

Aid Secretary Ms Mordaunt, who is known to harbour deep concern about Mrs May's Brexit deal, also backed her to stay as leader.

'The Prime Minister has my full support, not least because she has always done what she firmly believes is in the national interest. Our country needs us all to fight for a good deal and prepare for a no deal senario. All eyes and hands should be on that task,' she tweeted.

Another prominent Brexiteer Chris Grayling said: 'I will be backing Theresa May tonight. At this crucial point, the last thing the country needs is a prolonged and introspective leadership contest.

'I was one of the first Cabinet ministers to back Brexit. Delivering a deal was never going to be simple.

'Theresa May is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU and deliver on the Brexit that I and the people of our great country voted for.'

Sir Graham said the threshold of 48 letters had been 'exceeded' and Mrs May was eager to resolve the issue 'rapidly'

Mrs May is now facing the biggest test of her time as premier as she tries to face down Tory Eurosceptic rebels today

Michel Barnier and Donald Tusk were meeting in Brussels today as the UK political scene descended into fresh turmoil

Tory former minister Tim Loughton (left) jibed at Mrs May's embarrassing moment when she got stuck in her car in Berlin yesterday. David Cameron (right) was more supportive

Rivals have been brazenly jostling for position to succeed her in the Tory top job.

Mr Javid fuelled speculation he could seek to replace Mrs May by giving an extraordinary interview last night setting out his vision for the country.

Boris Johnson also thrust himself into the spotlight by talking about his weight loss.

A Tory former minister said: 'Things have really shifted in the past week and I think she would lose that vote now.

'I and others have been holding back from writing letters because of fears she would win a confidence vote, but the mood is shifting among MPs and our members.'

However, Mrs May's critics remain divided on who should replace her if they succeed, with Dominic Raab and Esther McVey also often cited as candidates by Brexiteers.

Mr Baker and Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the European Research Group (ERG) bloc of Tory Eurosceptics, have been urging MPs to replace Mrs May for weeks.

But despite a big push last month they embarrassingly failed to achieve the required level of support for a challenge.

Conservative 1922 committee chair Graham Brady (pictured right today) fired the starting gun on the confidence vote with his announcement this morning (left)