Prime Minister facing vote of no confidence this evening

Embattled Theresa May is facing a vote of no confidence this evening .

More than 48 Conservative MPs have now submitted letters to the backbench 1922 Committee two days after the Prime Minister delayed the Brexit vote in the House of Commons.

The 48 letters is the figure needed to trigger a vote.

Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, said a ballot would be held between 6pm and 8pm this evening in the Commons.

He added in a statement: “The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and the result will be announced as soon as possible in the evening.”

The backbench challenge is being led by those unhappy at the Brexit deal she negotiated but some Tory MPs who voted remain are also unhappy at the handling of the Brexit negotiations.

Labour MPs have also been urging Jeremy Corbyn to call for a Commons vote of no confidence in the government although he has so far resisted.

Mrs May spent Tuesday meeting EU leaders and officials in The Hague, Berlin and Brussels in efforts to salvage her deal.