British lawmakers say they aren’t trying to oust May

LONDON — Leading Brexit-supporting lawmakers insisted Wednesday that they aren’t about to topple Prime Minister Theresa May, despite strong opposition to her plan for taking Britain out of the European Union.

A faction of May’s Conservative Party opposes her proposal to keep the U.K. aligned to EU rules in return for free trade. They say that would keep Britain tethered to the bloc and unable to strike new trade deals around the world.

Several dozen rebel lawmakers have discussed attempting to trigger a no-confidence vote in

May in hope of replacing her with a strongly pro-brexit politician such as former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

But pro-brexit Environment Secretary Michael Gove said Wednesday that speculation about a leadership challenge is just “loose talk.”

He said May is doing a “great job at the moment.”

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis, who quit the government in July over differences with May, said she “should stay in place because we need stability.”

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but divorce talks have foundered amid Conservative divisions over how close a relationship to seek with the bloc.

Hopes are fading that Britain and the EU can strike a deal at an EU summit in October as originally planned, but there are growing expectations that the EU is planning another meeting for November.

European Commission President Jean-claude Juncker said Wednesday that EU negotiators “stand ready to work day and night to reach a deal.”