The threat to Boris Johnson’s leadership has ramped up today as more Conservative MPs said they have submitted letters of no confidence in the PM.
Around 12 letters were handed in this morning, according to Sky News political correspondents Sam Coates and Joe Pike.
They were from MPs who were part of a group of around 20 first voted in at the 2019 general election, many in traditionally Labour seats in the North.
They met last night to discuss their support of the prime minister after he claimed on Tuesday “nobody told me” the Number 10 lockdown garden party in May 2020 was not a work event.
Several other letters are understood to have been submitted ahead of today, with a handful of Conservative MPs already confirming to Sky News they have done so.
The letters have been handed to Sir Graham Brady, head of the influential 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, who is the only person that knows exactly how many letters have been submitted.
For a Tory PM to be ousted, Sir Graham needs to receive letters from 15% of Conservative MPs, which at the moment is 54.
When that number is reached, a vote on the PM’s leadership will be triggered.
Mr Johnson will face the Commons at Prime Minister’s Questions at midday, where his future will almost certainly be raised.