Priti Patel is backing those cabinet ministers saying Boris Johnson should go.
The Times’ Matt Dathan reports. Patel used to be one of his strongest supporters.
He defied expectations when he made her home secretary, and he backed her when his ethics adviser produced a report saying she broke the ministerial code by bullying staff.
But recently their relationship has been more frayed, with No 10 sometimes apparently briefing criticism of her handling of the Channel small boats problem.
The leader of the Scottish Conservatives Douglas Ross said “more and more” of his colleagues now agree that Mr Johnson should resign.
Mr Ross told the PA news agency: “I said that, at the no confidence vote two or three weeks ago that I could not in good faith continue to have confidence in him and now we are seeing more and more colleagues have reached the same conclusion.”
Asked who he would back in a Tory leadership election, he said: “We will wait and see.”
On whether he would consider throwing his own hat into the ring, Mr Ross smiled and said: “No, definitely not.”
Mr Johnson still has the backing of Jacob Rees-Mogg.
A source told the PA news agency that the Brexit opportunities minister, who was not in Number 10 with Mr Johnson on Wednesday evening, still supports the Prime Minister.