A trio of Tory donors last night launched a concerted bid to kill off Jacob Rees-Mogg’s bid to force a no-confidence vote in Theresa May.
The three came together to defend the Prime Minister and dissuade rebel Tory MPs from heeding Mr Rees-Mogg’s call for a formal leadership challenge.
Export firm magnate Rami Ranger, who has given the party more than £1 million, hailed Mrs May’s Brexit deal for allowing ‘the UK to remain a great trading nation’.
Former banker Ken Costa, a long-term supporter of the Prime Minister, hailed her ‘enormous courage and determination’ while businessman Zameer Choudrey, who gave the party over £300,000 in the run-up to the 2015 General Election, urged people to ‘get behind the PM’.
Their loyal support for Mrs May emerged amid concerns from Tory officials that major party funders will desert them if Mrs May is forced out.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, pictured at Westminster on Thursday, launched a Tory rebel plot to oust the PM but the Brexiteers have yet to reach the 48 signatures needed for a confidence vote
But Somerset MP Mr Rees-Mogg hit back last night by bluntly telling the donors ‘Tory party policy has never been for sale’ and insisting Mrs May must face a no-confidence vote.
The row broke as another leading Tory MP privately predicted the PM was ‘almost certain’ to face a leadership challenge this week.
The MP, a member of the executive of the party’s 1922 Committee of backbench MPs that would supervise a no-confidence vote, also warned Mrs May that its duty was to the party, not her.
He said: ‘This is not about Theresa May – it’s about the future of the Conservative Party.
‘The 1922 Committee’s duty is to protect the Conservative Party, not the Prime Minister.’
Tory MPs fiercely opposed to Mrs May’s Brexit deal claim they have almost reached the 48 no-confidence letter threshold that would trigger a vote at Westminster.
Under the party’s rules, 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady must then inform the Prime Minister when and if that threshold has been reached.
Tory rebels on Mr Rees-Mogg’s European Research Group were last night blamed for reports that Sir Graham had already privately informed the Tory Chief Whip Julian Smith that the ‘letters were in’ and would formally notify Mrs May tomorrow.
Two opinion polls suggested the week of chaos in Westminster has badly dented the election fortunes of the Conservatives amid an ongoing plot to topple Theresa May (pictured)
But No 10 sources angrily insisted that this was ‘categorically untrue’ and insisted the Prime Minister ‘isn’t going to be distracted’ by the rumours.
Mr Ranger, founder of export firm Sun Mark, said: ‘The PM has taken huge amounts of criticism for working hard to sort out the difficult situation she inherited.
Rami Ranger the £1million man
Businessman Rami Ranger demonstrated his faith in Theresa May by donating £25,000 to her campaign to lead the Tory Party in 2016 – the second largest private donor to her bid.
Overall, Indian-born Mr Rami, founder of and major shareholder in export firm Sun Mark, has given the Tories more than £1 million. Mr Ranger, who backed Remain in the EU referendum, was made a CBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List.
Backer: Rami Ranger, right, with his wife Renu and Tory MP Zac Goldsmith
‘This is a good deal which gives both the flexibility and controls that are needed for the UK to remain a great trading nation. Changing prime minister will not mean that any problems will go away: now is the time for everyone to show flexibility and work together in the national interest.’
Fellow Tory donor Choudrey, the chief executive of conglomerate Bestway, who gave the party over £300,000 in the run-up to the 2015 General Election, urged people to ‘get behind the PM, and support her and her deal’ – claiming no one else offered a ‘credible alternative’. He said: ‘It is thanks to her hard work and efforts that we have a deal which delivers on the referendum result, taking back control of our borders, laws and money while maintaining good jobs, security and the integrity of the country.’
Mr Costa, a long-term donor and backer of Mrs May, said: ‘The Prime Minister has shown enormous courage and determination to serve her country.
‘I would urge all MPs to put aside their differences and speak out on social media in support and back the PM.’
Last night Mr Rees-Mogg, who electrified the debate over Mrs May’s future last week by announcing to a media scrum outside the Commons that he had submitted a no-confidence letter to Sir Graham, responded to the donors’ call by saying that although they were ‘valued supporters of the party’, other Tory funders had different views.
He added: ‘Tory party policy has never been for sale. That has been the custom and practice of previous prime ministers.’
Sir Graham last night declined to comment. But the member of the ’22 executive insisted that the required number of letters would be waiting for Sir Graham when he returned to Westminster tomorrow. He said: ‘The starting gun for the no-confidence vote will be on his Commons’ desk when he gets to work tomorrow.’
Communities Minister Jake Berry weighed in by insisting it would be ‘self-indulgent, completely irresponsible of the Conservative Party to turn in on itself’ by considering a leadership election at a time of near-national crisis.