Jacob Rees-Mogg has handed in a letter of no-confidence to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee.
The prominent Brexiter told said Theresa May’s Brexit deal “has turned out to be worse than anticipated and fails to meet the promises given to the nation by the Prime Minister”.
The letter follows up on a threat Mr Rees-Mogg made in the House of Commons this morning, when he reeled off a list of promises he said the Prime Minister had broken with the EU withdrawal agreement.
Boris Johnson was also seen bolting from the ERG meeting, and declined to speak to reporters.
It suggests a wide-scale backlash may be on its way and it could be the beginning of the end for Theresa May.
A vote of confidence in her leadership can be called if 48 Tory MPs send letters to Sir Graham Brady.
Yesterday David Davis’ former adviser Stewart Jackson told LBC radio: “I think she’s finished, let’s be honest. I mean, she’s totally finished. You’ll have 48 letters in by next week.
“She’s lost the trust of the parliamentary party. It’snot just Brexiteers. The point is that for so many months she has obfuscated all the details of what, in secret, she has been negotiating with Olly Robbins and others with the European Union.”
“Sensing the levels of frustration and annoyance colleagues are feeling it would not surprise me if organically letters are going in,” Brexiteer MP Conor Burns also told LBC, adding, “anybody looking in could rightly conclude that most people are appalled at the mess we are in.
“This is an embarrassment for Britain. It’s an embarrassment for us all.”
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.