New threat from enemy within
HARD Brexiteers led by Jacob Rees-Mogg threatened to oust the Prime Minister last night – only weeks after the humiliation of their last botched coup.
After a meeting of the European Research Group (ERG) of Eurosceptic MPs, the hardliners again claimed they were close to having the required number of signatures to trigger a confidence vote in Theresa May.
Mr Rees-Mogg, who led last month’s aborted attempt to unseat the PM, demanded that she must either ‘govern or quit’.
Under Conservative Party rules, Mrs May will face a confidence vote if 48 Tory MPs write to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, demanding one.
Mr Rees-Mogg and his co-conspirators faced embarrassment last month after they called for Mrs May to be removed, only to then admit they did not have the numbers to oust her.
It is unclear if yesterday’s decision to delay the Brexit vote will trigger any further letters from disgruntled Tory MPs.
Potential leadership contenders were still plotting their next moves last night, with Michael Gove refusing to rule out a joint ticket with Amber Rudd should the PM fall.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid was also accused yesterday of sounding out potential supporters on the backbenches, while Boris Johnson has been forced to deny offering Cabinet jobs in return for MPs’ support. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab are both said to be considering bids, while Esther McVey said she would consider standing.
With Mrs May’s decision to delay the vote, the most immediate threat to her position would appear to come from the triggering of a confidence vote.
Speaking after last night’s ERG meeting, Mr Rees-Mogg said: ‘I think the feeling is sad that the Government is in such a mess. I thought it was as humiliating for the Government to pull the vote as to lose by 100.
‘The likelihood of leaving without a withdrawal agreement has gone up, but we should aim for a managed no deal. But we need a new prime minister to do that.
‘If you look at today, this is the failure of the PM’s policy. She is the one who has led the Government to this defeat, she is the one who ought to take responsibility.’