Theresa May today warned her warring Tory Party against trying to oust her as PM – warning it will only breed uncertainty and help those who want to thwart Brexit.
She said the next seven days in the Brexit process will be ‘critical’ and that she will be returning to Brussels this week to continue the talks.
Mrs May is in the political battle of her life to get her divorce package backed and stay on as PM amid a bitter Tory plot to oust her.
She said this morning that she does not think the 48 letters needed to call a vote against her have landed yet.
And stepping up her fightback, she warned the Eurosceptcs trying to oust her their bid risks backfiring and allowing Remainers to thwart Brexit altogether.
She told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday: ‘This is not about me it is about what is right for the people of this country.
‘It is about what is in the national interest. That is what motivates me.’
She added: ‘These next seven days will be critical – it is about the future of this country – it is about people’s children and grandchildren….
‘What we are now focusing on is getting more detail on what our future relationship will be.
‘I will be going back to Brussels. The negotiating teams will be working this week. I will be going back to Brussels and be in touch with other leaders.’
She also urged her warring Tory party to back her Brexit deal or risk the crunch negotiations to quit the EU going back to ‘square one’.
But the PM is stepping up her fightback today – insisting her deal delivers on Brexit by finally regaining control of Britain’s borders and ending vast payments to the EU.
Writing in The Sun today, she warned rebels on her backbenches not to imperil the deal which lies within grasp – and warned ‘there is no alternative’.
Theresa May today said that she will return to Brussels in the coming days to negotiate more detail on Britain’s future trading relationship
Theresa May (pictured in her Downing Street office on Friday) is mounting a fight back after she was hit with a slew of cabinet resignations over her draft agreement to leave the EU and an increasingly likely no confidence vote
She said: ‘If MPs reject the deal, they will simply take us back to square one. It would mean more division, more uncertainty and a failure to deliver on the vote of the British people.
‘There is no alternative plan on the table. There is no different approach that we could agree with the EU.
‘The course I have set is the right one for our country and the only one that will work.
‘The path before us is not easy, but with determination and hard work, I know we can deliver a deal in the national interest.
‘One that builds a more secure, prosperous Britain, whose best days lie ahead. That is the brighter future that awaits us.
‘I am determined to get us there. I will not let you down.’
Number Ten are launching a PR Brexit blitz as they frantically try to muster up more support for the PM’s hugely controversial Brexit deal.
But Mrs May is facing an almost impossible task after the DUP – whose ten MPs are propping her up in No10 – and Tory Brexiteers have united to vow to vote down the deal.
While Zac Goldsmith has become the 24th Tory MP to publicly declare that he has sent a letter of no confidence in.
Altogether, 37 Tory MPs are believed to have now sent their letters in – some privately some publicly – just 11 shy of the 48 needed to trigger a confidence vote in Mrs May.
If more MPs put their names to the call this weekend then a vote will be held, in a move which could see Mrs May swiftly toppled from No10 and starting the firing gun on what is likely to be a bitter Tory leadership contest.
But while the PM is gearing up her Brexit publicity drive, she was hut by a fresh barrage of attacks from her Tory critics.
Dominic Raab, whose dramatic resignation as Brexit Secretary last week plunged her Government into meltdown, blasted the PM for failing to stand up to a bullying EU.
Mr Raab – who is one of the favourites to be the next Tory leader – said Britain must be prepared to walk away from the talks.
He said: ‘If we cannot close this deal on reasonable terms we need to be very honest with the country that we will not be bribed and blackmailed or bullied and we will walk away.
Perennial Eurosceptic Bill Cash (left) is also rumoured to have submitted a letter after Zac Goldsmith (right) said he was moving to trigger a confidence vote, becoming the 24th Conservative MP to go public with a bid to oust the PM
‘I think there is one thing that is missing and that is political will and resolve. I am not sure that message has ever landed.’
Mr Goldsmith also lashed the plan, saying that while he backed Leave in the referendum he would have voted Remain if the only deal on offer was Mrs May’s.
He said: ‘The notion that the choice is between this deal, no deal or no Brexit is a false one. That is what the EU wants us to believe.
‘There is time to do a deal that will suit both sides better than no deal and to bring forward the option that Brussels has long been expecting. That would be a SuperCanada style free trade agreement. But there is no time to lose.
‘The Prime Minister has been clear that she will not change course, and so with huge reluctance, I have submitted a letter to the 1922 Committee urging a vote that will, I hope, give us the chance of a fresh start.’
Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee – which represents Tory MPs – gets the letters of no confidence sent in, and only he knows how many have been received.
Once the 48 number is hit, he must hold a vote in a room in Parliament swiftly where Mrs May’s fate will be sealed.
How Brexiteers would get rid of Theresa May
Brexiteers have attempted a coup against Theresa May in fury at her draft deal with the EU – but they will have to navigate Tory rules to force her out.
The Prime Minister insisted she plans to ‘see this through’ to make clear to the rebels she will not quit voluntarily.
This is how the Tory Party rules work:
What is the mechanism for removing the Tory leader? Tory Party rules allow the MPs to force a vote of no confidence in their leader.
How is that triggered? A vote is in the hands of the chairman of the Tory Party’s backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady.
A vote of no confidence must be held if 15 per cent of Tory MPs write to the chairman. Currently that threshold is 48 MPs.
Letters are confidential unless the MP sending it makes it public. This means only Sir Graham knows how many letters there are.
This possible delay could give Mrs May a ‘grace period’ where she knows a contest is imminent but not yet public knowledge.
A vote is in the hands of the chairman of the Tory Party’s backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady (file image)
How is a vote announced? There are few fixed rules but Sir Graham is likely to inform Downing Street or the Chief Whip and then make a public announcement.
Sir Graham is likely to check with the MPs who have sent him a letter before making an announcement in case any of them want to withdraw. This will happen secretly.
How will the vote happen? After it is announced, a vote will happen quickly, with Tory MPs invited to cast a secret ballot in a Commons committee room.
Voting will be open for one day and Sir Graham will announce the result at the end.
Brexiteers have attempted a coup against Theresa May
What needs to happen for Theresa May to win? Officially, Mrs May only needs to win a simple majority of Tory MPs – currently that is 158 MPs.
Politically, winning by one would be devastating. If more than 100 MPs vote against her, most observers think she would be finished.
What happens if she loses? Mrs May is sacked as Tory leader and Sir Graham will announce a leadership contest. She cannot stand in the contest.
She will probably stay on as Prime Minister until a replacement is elected but have no political power or authority to do anything.
What happens next? In a Tory leadership contest, any MP can stand with a proposer and seconder.
Tory MPs vote several times a week on the candidates with the last place candidate being removed from the race at each ballot.
When there are only two candidates remaining, a run off is held among all Tory members in the country.
How long will it take? The first phase depends on how many candidates there are. A large field could mean a fortnight or more of regular ballots.
In the past, the second round has taken anywhere from four to 12 twelve weeks – but some think a vote of Tory members could be finished in just a week.