British PM Theresa May to announce her departure date

British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected on Friday to announce the date of her departure, triggering a contest that will bring a new leader to power who is likely to push for a more decisive Brexit divorce deal.

Sources say they expect the PM to give a timetable for her successor to be chosen, with 10 June likely to be the start of the official leadership race.

She is expected to meet the chairman of Tory backbenchers imminently.

She has been under pressure to resign, after a backlash by her own MPs against her latest Brexit plan.

Since January, Parliament has rejected the withdrawal agreement May negotiated with the EU three times. Recent attempts to find a formal compromise with Labour also failed.

May had planned to publish the Withdrawal Agreement Bill on Friday - the legislation required to bring the agreement into UK law - describing it as "one last chance" to deliver Brexit.

However, her proposals - including a customs union arrangement and an offer to give MPs a vote on holding another referendum - angered many Tories.

Labour said it was a "rehash" and they would not support the plans.

Andrea Leadsom quit as Commons leader on Wednesday evening saying she no longer believed the government's approach would "deliver on the referendum result".

Boris Johnson, the face of the official Brexit campaign in 2016, is the favourite to succeed May. Betting markets put a 40% implied probability on Johnson winning the top job.

Others tipped by betting markets are Dominic Raab, a Brexit supporter and former Brexit secretary. Betting markets put a 14% implied probability on his chances.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove, former House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt each have a 7% probability, according to betting markets.

Betting markets give Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt and International Development Secretary Rory Stewart each a 4% chance of the top job while Home Secretary (interior minister) Sajid Javid has a 3% chance.