UK’s May to face no-confidence motion over Brexit

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May will face a parliamentary vote of no confidence in her leadership after the threshold of MPs lining up against her was met.

It is expected May will face the vote later today. If she loses the party ballot, the Conservative Party must hold a leadership election and she will likely be removed as the British Prime Minister.

Brexiteers within her party have reached the threshold of support they need to trigger a no-confidence vote in the prime minister, according to Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative Party's '1922 Committee', a group of influential backbench members of parliament (MPs).

A leadership contest in May has been triggered after 15 percent of the Conservative parliamentary party submitted letters to Brady and a ballot will be held between 1800 to 2000 on December 12, the 1922 Committee said in a press release

MPs from all sides of May's party are deeply unhappy with the way she has conducted Brexit negotiations.

Under party rules, if 48 Conservative MPs submit letters to the chair of the 1922 Committee stating they no longer support her, a leadership contest is launched.

One of the MPs that submitted a letter of no-confidence is prominent and influential Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg.

The no-confidence vote also comes as May has been traveling across Europe to beg EU leaders for help in passing her Brexit deal through the UK parliament.

May went on the charm offensive on the continent Tuesday after pulling the plug on a parliamentary vote due on Tuesday on the Brexit deal (known as the 'withdrawal agreement') struck with Europe.

The deal had faced stiff opposition from many members of parliament (MPs) from both the pro-Brexit and 'Remainer' camp, from her own Conservative party and other opposition parties.

May said she would try to renegotiate parts of the deal and now a new vote will have to be held before January 21, 2019, leaving little time for future amendments and raising the prospect of a no-deal Brexit – the "cliff-edge" scenario that most people want to avoid.

May said the backstop had been at the crux of discussions in Europe on Tuesday. She also said that preparations for a no-deal.