Whips urge rebellious Tories to withdraw ‘no confidence’ letters

CONSERVATIVE MPS have been asked to withdraw letters demanding a vote of no confidence in Theresa May amid fears she could be forced out, sources have told The Daily Telegraph.

They say government whips are trying to prevent the chairman of the party’s 1922 Committee receiving 48 letters – the threshold which would trigger the crunch vote.

Aides close to Mrs May are said to be nervous that the figure could be reached in the coming days.

Pro-brexit MPS are encouraging colleagues to send letters to undermine the Prime Minister in the week when she announced her plans for a future deal with the EU.

But another Conservative source suggested the demand from the whips, who are in charge of party discipline, is a trick to persuade more MPS to submit letters, triggering a vote which they believe Mrs May will win.

If she were to succeed, another challenge would be banned for 12 months, giving her the protection needed to carry through her Brexit plans.

Mrs May has already been hit by the resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson, and sources fear more ministers could stand down.

Brexit-supporting MPS have vowed to keep the pressure on Mrs May in a bid to prevent any further softening of her position on Brexit.

They claim that the Government’s White Paper, released yesterday, is a betrayal of those who voted to leave.

Andrew Bridgen MP, who has already submitted a no confidence letter, said critics will “give her a week” to backtrack on the White Paper before sending more letters in a coordinated bid to remove her.