Chief backbench eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg has submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister, taking Theresa May’s leadership closer to the brink of collapse.
Mr Rees-Mogg, who chairs the Brexit backing European Research Group (ERG), said he was specifically choosing to make his letter public in a sign that he wants other colleagues to consider following his lead.
It came at the end of meeting of the ERG in which others, though not all, called for further letters of no confidence to be sent in – prominent eurosceptic Steve Baker emerged from the room demanding a new party leader.
Under Tory rules, once 48 letters are handed in to the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee there must be a vote of no confidence in the party leader.
In a statement after the meeting, Mr Rees Mogg denied he was instigating a coup, saying: “It’s using the proper procedures of the Conservative party when the policy that has come forward does not meet our promises to our voters.
“The Conservative party [manifesto] on which all Conservative MPs stood said specifically that we would leave the customs union.
