hello, it's wednesday, it's 10 o'clock, i'm victoria derbyshire. the prime minister has eight hours to save herjob. her own mps will vote tonight on whether they want her to carry on being their leader. a change of leadership in the conservative party now will put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it. here in downing street, the prime minister's allies remain quietly confident and say a win byjust one vote will be enough. her critics warn a new brexit deal will mean a new tory leader. this is the confirmation from sir graham brady from the 1922 committee of mps that 48 mps have written to him to say they have no confidence in theresa may, which is enough to trigger a confidence vote. i think she was keen to get on with herjob and get on with the business of government. clearly, having massive speculation

about whether or not there would be a confidence vote was unhelpful. the vote will be at 6pm tonight, so we will know the outcome tonight. if mrs may loses, there will be a conservative leadership contest, and she won't be eligible to stand. we're here outside parliament until 11 today with all the latest. hello. welcome to the programme. we're live until 11 this morning. we are bringing you unfolding events at westminster, a dramatic morning so at westminster, a dramatic morning so farand it at westminster, a dramatic morning so far and it is only 10am. tonight, conservative mps will vote to decide if theresa may should stay on as their leader. give us your reaction this morning.

and we're joined this morning by viewers on bbc world news for these dramatic developments. welcome to you all. it's just after 10 o'clock and it's already an extraordinary day at westminster. we found out a couple of hours ago that the prime minister is facing a vote of confidence in her leadership. that's because at least 48 backbench conservative mps have written to the chair of the so—called 1922 committee, sir graham brady, to say they have no confidence in her. that vote is going to happen tonight. mrs may has already said she's going to fight to stay on. but if she loses, then there will be a tory leadership contest. here's what's happening later. the prime minister will address the 1922 committee at 5pm. a ballot is due to be held shortly afterwards between 6pm and 8pm. mrs may

must win the support of at least half of the conservative parliamentary party to avoid a leadership contest. if she loses, she will not be able to stand in that contest. if she wins, she is safe in her position for a year. let's talk to one of her supporters, matt hancock and obviously, as a cabinet minister, you will be supporting the prime minister tonight? emphatically yes, ithink at moments like this you need to look at what is in the national interest and in the middle of these negotiations, when even today she was supposed to be in ireland, securing further progress and getting a good dealfor britain, at these times, you need to back the prime minister. but she has brought it on herself, her critics say. they say that. she didn't listen soon enough. i don't think that is right. the prime minister has been negotiating the best deal possible to make sure we deliver on the

brexit result and do so in a way that supports the economy. but without listening to so many people around her who for, let's be honest, weeks and months, has been saying she would not be able to get her brexit deal through parliament and so brexit deal through parliament and so it has come to pass. today she is supposed to be negotiating yet more on the brexit deal. had she listened earlier, she may not have found herself in this position. of course, people on one side say they want the relationship with europe to be closer. people on the other side say they want it to be more distant. the critical point is this, right now, in the middle of negotiations, when there is only four months to go until we leave the eu, is it the right time to change horses? of course it isn't. what do you say to your colleagues, then, who has put in these letters to trigger the no—confidence vote tonight?” in these letters to trigger the no-confidence vote tonight? i hope we can persuade them over the next few hours to back the prime minister. that once you have put those letters and will not be voting for her tonight, you know that so

what do you say to those who have triggered what we are going to see today? i think the most important thing... why are you reluctant to criticise them? because i don't like to criticise colleagues. you have just said it's the most ridiculous idea in the middle of a crisis. you are putting words into my mouth. i'm paraphrasing. indeed but i'm very clear about what i think about this. 1596 clear about what i think about this. 15% of colleagues are needed to trigger a vote like this. that means there is 85% who haven't and i want there is 85% who haven't and i want the vast majority of conservative collea g u es the vast majority of conservative colleagues to vote for the prime minister because that is in the national interest. she has shown such fortitude, with voices all around her trying to pull her one way or the other. i think everyone ee, way or the other. i think everyone agree, she has shown great integrity and fortitude. —— everyone would agree. she is landing this deal, she is in the middle of negotiating it, she spent the whole of yesterday in

europe... in what way in the real world is she landing this deal? she was negotiating it yesterday and further today. everyone said it is nice to see you but we are not renegotiating. not only is she landing this deal but also, that set of fundamentals, what the eu thinks, what the numbers are in parliament, these things would not be changed by a leadership election. the only thing that would be changed by a leadership election is the amount of time we have left to secure a deal. we will lose time. that isn't what i wa nt to we will lose time. that isn't what i want to see and not what the country wa nts to want to see and not what the country wants to see. the country wants to see us wants to see. the country wants to see us getting on with it and the way to do that is to back the prime minister. does this inevitably mean a delay to brexit? i certainly hope not. but it is feasible we could now extend article 50. no. yes, it is. we are leaving the european union on the 29th of march. it is feasible

article 50 could be extended or even revoked. it is not the governments policy and nor should it be. revoked. it is not the governments policy and nor should it hem might be undera policy and nor should it hem might be under a new leader potentially. i don't want that to happen. the fact of having the vote this evening means that showed, as i hoped and as i predict, a strong majority for the prime minister be the result of this vote, then we will... then she can get on with it and she can get on with those negotiations so the upside of her winning is that she can then get on with the negotiations with the eu. so you have just made your prediction that mrs may will win tonight with a strong majority?” certainly hope so, yes. now you are slightly changing the words.” predict there will be a majority of support, a strong majority of support, a strong majority of support because it is the right thing to do to vote for the prime minister but in a way, you know, it is not a matter of predictions. well, you've just made one.” is not a matter of predictions. well, you've just made one. i know, thatis well, you've just made one. i know, that is my prediction but that is

not the important thing because there are 315 tory mps who have to make up their minds about how they vote this evening and the question is not... for us, for mp5, it is not what they think will happen. the question is what should happen. i think people should vote for the prime minister because it is a national interest. even if wins tonight, she still doesn't have a majority in parliament for her deal. evenif majority in parliament for her deal. even if she manages to succeed in getting the odd two—week or modest change to the deal. well, let's see what she can bring back from the european union. the european council at the end of this week, she is meeting european leaders and she is in the middle of the negotiation. we can have that conversation tomorrow. i very much hope we can, once she has secured the confidence of the parliamentary party in the vote this evening as you can get on with it. that is what the country wants, for

us that is what the country wants, for us to get on with brexit and come together behind the prime minister. if she loses to knight, who would be a good alternative leader for you? well, i very much hope she went to. that wasn't the question. know, and i'm not going there. i wanted to win. is anyone capable of getting a deal, apart from mrs may, of getting a deal through parliament? deal, apart from mrs may, of getting a dealthrough parliament? the best person to deliver that is theresa may. that is why i will be voting for joining may. that is why i will be voting forjoining us. the health secretary, matt hancock. we will see what happens. mr hancock predicting a strong majority and a win for theresa may. she will get a strong majority of conservative mps backing her. your reaction of course is welcome, mr hancock said the whole country welcome, mr hancock said the whole cou ntry wa nts welcome, mr hancock said the whole country wants mrs may to get on with getting concessions to her deal and getting concessions to her deal and getting it through parliament. is he speaking for you? getting it through parliament. is he speaking for you ? let getting it through parliament. is he speaking for you? let me know this morning. you can send us a message on twitter. the prime minister made her statement outside number ten downing

street this morning. i should warn you that there is flash photography. sir graham brady has confirmed he has received 48 letters from conservative mps so there will be a vote of confidence in my leadership of the conservative party. i will contest that vote with everything i have got. i have been a member of the conservative party for over 40 years. i have served it as an activist, councillor, mp, shadow minister, home secretary and now as prime minister. i stood to be leader because i believe in the conservative vision for a better future. a thriving economy with nowhere and nobody left behind. a stronger society, where everyone can make the most of their talents. always serving the national interest. and at this crucial moment in our history, that means securing a brexit deal that delivers on the results of the eu referendum. taking back control of our borders, laws and money but protecting jobs,

security and our precious union as we do so. through good times and bad over the last two years, my passionate belief that such a deal is attainable, that a bright future lies ahead for our country, has not wavered. it is now within our grasp. i spent yesterday meeting chancellor angela merkel, prime minister rutte, president tusk and presidentjuncker, to address concerns mps have with the backstop and we are making progress. i was due to travel to dublin this afternoon to continue that work, but will now remain in london to make the case for the leadership with my parliamentary colleagues. a change of leadership in the conservative party now will put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it. a new leader wouldn't be in place by the 21st of january legal deadline so a leadership election risks handing control

of the brexit negotiations to opposition mps in parliament. the new leader wouldn't have time to renegotiate a withdrawal agreement and get the legislation through parliament by the 29th of march, so one of their first acts would be extending or rescinding article 50, delaying or even stopping brexit when people want us to get on with it. a leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the parliamentary arithmetic. weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country. none of that would be in the national interest. the only people whose interests would be served are jeremy corbyn and john mcdonnell. the british people want us to get on with it and they want us to focus on the other vital issues that matter to them as well. building a stronger economy, delivering first—class public

services and the homes that families need. these are the public‘s priorities and they must be the conservative party's priorities too. we must and we shall deliver on the referendum vote and seize the opportunities that lie ahead. but the conservatives must not be a single issue party. we are a party of the whole nation. moderate, pragmatic, mainstream. committed to reuniting our country and building a country that works for everyone. the agenda i set out in my first speech outside this front door. delivering the brexit people voted for, building a country that works for everyone. i have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since i became prime minister and i stand ready to finish thejob. thank you for your messages. tracy

says, "i'm disgusted, what should have been a period time when parliament pulled together to get us through this mess as swiftly as possible has been backstabbing and infighting, political posturing and manoeuvring without a care for us". bonnie says, "mrs may needs to go and we need a brexiteer is the new leader. get us out, no deal is the best". this one says, "i don't want to see a change at the top, those that vote against her are nothing more than treacherous to the 17 million who voted to leave". she may not get it right but she's worked ha rd not get it right but she's worked hard and should see it through. if i find my mp is one of those fighting against her, anger, in capital letters, although it is a secret ballot so you will never know is. donna says, "this case is due to the civil war at the utterly self—serving, self—centred tory party. of course mrs may has to go, the whole bunch of despicables has

to go and we in scotland will be extricating ourselves from this full is unions". this one says, "she is reaping what she sewed when she sold out on brexit". let's now talk to norman smith, our assistant political editor who is at downing street. is she going to win this confidence vote ? i think herfriends i think her friends are quietly confident she will or at least they are saying to journalists they are confident well but they are also saying that they think just one confident well but they are also saying that they thinkjust one vote will be enough for her. now there's a huge argument about that, technically, of course, one vote is enough but could mrs may really limp on and say —— if i say, 130 or so tory mps voted against her? would the eu really be prepared to negotiate with a prime minister so damaged? and what would happen when her meaningful vote eventually comes back to the house of commons, facing almost inevitable defeat? you know, it is up for debate whether one vote

is enough but that is certainly the view of her friends and allies. the other thing i think it is striking is the way mrs may has deliberately chosen to massively ramp up the states. she has made this a vote is not about her, she says, but about brexit and the future of the country. "bring me down", she says in effect, "and you put brexit at risk because whoever takes over will not have time to try to fashion a new brexit deal. it will be impossible, given we are living on the 29th of march. therefore, the only way they can do it will be to revoke article 50, delay and then, who knows what happens? who knows whether brexit will take place?" mrs may deliberately upped the ante, so those tory mps who are minded to continue with brexit will balk at the idea of this huge uncertainty and the potential that actually may not happen. 0f and the potential that actually may not happen. of course, there will be

those critics who say that what mrs may is trying to deliver is not brexit anyway. that is the real sort of thrust of the critics‘ arguments, that the deal she has got is not a cce pta ble that the deal she has got is not acceptable and will not be approved and will go down and that therefore, this is a sort of crisis looming. better to get it done now, ahead of christmas, with a new leader in place, to negotiate a new deal. thanks, norman, i know you will be back with us if there are any development or twists and turns. let‘s discuss this further with the former culture minister ed vaizey and the former conservative party chairman grant shapps. good morning to you both. ed vaizey, will you support the prime minister delight? yes. with you, grant shapps? i will listen to what she says tonight and she will tell us about what she achieved in europe yesterday. so you genuinely don't know? yeah, viewers may recall, more thana yearago, know? yeah, viewers may recall, more than a year ago, i said if we were going to make a change in the wake of the election when we lost a

majority, that would have been the time to do it. so now is not the time to do it. so now is not the time so why not give her your backing? now seems to be an odd time to do it, but having said that, the leadership election has been called andl leadership election has been called and i need to hear what she is going to say. my key concern is not theresa may but the deal itself, and the same reasons why parliament was about to vote against it yesterday if it had gone ahead. let me read you some messages from british voters. john says, "this confidence voters. john says, "this confidence vote at any time is a distraction but at this time, it is a disaster. when will the public schoolboy mps put their party and country first? i wa nt to put their party and country first? i want to be conservative mps to stand by the prime minister because she is the best we have. brexit is brexit, theresa may, mp, prime minister, is the best person for the job, let her get on with it". is that enough to persuade you to support there? what will persuade me is what she says. with huge respect to this particular british voter. i've been really clear, a year ago, british voter. i've been really clear, a yearago, i british voter. i've been really clear, a year ago, i said british voter. i've been really

clear, a yearago, i said if british voter. i've been really clear, a year ago, i said if we would make the change, that would be the time. —— if we were going to make the change. i don't think today isideal make the change. i don't think today is ideal but that is not my concern, my concern is whether the deal itself, they think we should have voted on last night, removes the backstop that we can never leave. no politician should vote for something which takes power away from there and can neveragain which takes power away from there and can never again be regained in a treaty style format. and you know, there is no intention to end up in a backstop scenario, it may never happen. she said this morning in her statement outside downing street that she made significant progress yesterday, she said and i'm hoping she will update us on that and that remains the key issue for me, not this almost distraction about who the leader is. the deal is the important thing. if she loses, who would be an alternatively before you? well, there are any number of alternative leaders who can come forward but don‘t ask me because last time, i backed michael gove and look how that went. it is not worth testing —— it is not worth testing me on this. i got david cameron

right in 2005 so maybe i will get it right in 2005 so maybe i will get it right this time but i think she‘s going to end. talking of david cameron, it is he who potentially study these events, still in touch with him, i‘m a friend who‘s yellow i occasionally see him but not as often as i used to when he was prime ministers. i believe he sent you a text this morning. i think he is watching events quite closely. what did he say? i'm not going to tell you. actually he was commenting on a radio appearance of mine this morning. he said he heard me. i don‘t want to set anything running. hejust said he had me on the radio but i am bucking theresa may and i think the tory party is yet again snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. a week ago, we were on the point of having a withdrawal agreement we could have passed, we could have got through the first age of brexit, let me finish, grant, we could have got through and moved on and now we‘ve got the prospect of 12 hours of middle—aged men coming on shows like this, slapping off the

prime minister who has worked so ha rd over prime minister who has worked so hard over the last two years to get we we re hard over the last two years to get we were “— hard over the last two years to get we were —— to get us where we are now. it is complete and utter madness. i was going to say, i agree with you to the extent we could have had this decided by today if we had the vote last night. remember i was one of the 164 who spoke at the debate and i'm sure you did as well. we we re debate and i'm sure you did as well. we were supposed to vote on the deal itself and what has caused today's distraction, as you rightly describe it, is cancelling the vote does not. we have to have that vote, parliament has to have a say on the withdrawal agreement. my issue is not with theresa may, who i will listen to very carefully but the deal itself and i want to hear her come and say, i've heard it, i've spoken to people in europe and we will get some kind of legally binding way to make sure we're not stuck in the backstop so we will pay the and take the rules and we can never leave it. — — the and take the rules and we can never leave it. —— the backstop, which means we will pay. even though i voted remain in the referendum, which means we will pay. even though ivoted remain in the referendum, i still can't vote for a deal which locks this country into permanent rule taking. do you think a delay

now on brexit is inevitable? no, i don't, actually. it is quite difficult to get to as well because what people hear about votes in parliament, they think they all have equal weight but in fact, laws passed in parliament have usually gone through hours of committee, hundreds of hours in the case of the brexit bill and that says we are living on the 29th of march so it would need for legislation to delay it, not like a one—off vote like la st it, not like a one—off vote like last night's would have been, a principled thing but a full piece of legislation. the legislation we have set says we are leaving on the 29th of march, not easily undone. what do you think about your conservative collea g u es you think about your conservative colleagues who have triggered this no—confidence vote in your leader tonight? i don't know why they've done it. for me, it seems completely self—defeating. she is very likely to win so if you did want to get rid of the prime minister, you are now going to have herfor another year. it's going to have herfor another year. it‘s not going to change anything. i don‘t understand the logic because whoever takes over, what are they going to change? as grant says, really, on the table, you‘ve got no

deal because it is written into the legislation that we leave on the 29th of march or we have got a withdrawal agreement which has been carefully negotiated in the last two yea rs carefully negotiated in the last two years which gets us out in a managed way, a soft way so we can then negotiate the free trade deal. you say we could extend article 50 and toa say we could extend article 50 and to a certain extent, i agree with you that all bets are off. or revoke it asjohn you that all bets are off. or revoke it as john major was you that all bets are off. or revoke it asjohn major was suggesting. yes, and then what would emerge but grant is also right in that we live in this weird word that the mechanics of doing that, even if parliament expressed their will, overnight, tomorrow morning, suddenly said we would vote to extend article 50, the mechanics are quite complicated stopm extend article 50, the mechanics are quite complicated stop it all comes down to not having a majority in parliament which all comes down to the election where we lost to the majority we had built up. which is why some people argue she‘s brought it on herself. which is why the timing should have been much closer to the aftermath of that election. we would be having a different conversation if this was june we would be having a different conversation if this wasjune 2017. yes but we are where we are. let‘s see what happens. thank you for

joining us. grant shapps and ed vaizey, there. earlier we heard from sirgraham vaizey, there. earlier we heard from sir graham brady, who talked about the meeting he had with the prime minister last night. i think you can draw from the fact that she was keen to move ahead swiftly, to resolve matters, you know, i think she was keen to get on with herjob and get on with the business of government. clearly, having massive speculation about whether or not there would be a confidence vote was unhelpful. also, having a protracted period between the announcement that a vote would take place and that vote taking place would have been a very difficult time, not conducive to getting on with the job. i think it is entirely in keeping, i have to say, that she was keen to proceed swiftly and get matters resolved. that is sirgraham

that is sir graham brady, who is also meeting the prime minister this afternoon. the foreign secretary jeremy hunt has been tweeting this morning that he is bucking theresa may tonight, being prime minister is the most difficultjob imaginable right now in the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest. brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we leave the eu on the 29th of march. the home secretary sajid javid also tweeted support," the last thing our country needs right now is a leadership election, it will be seen as self—indulgent and wrong. pm has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave the eu on the 29th of march". liam fox, the secretary of march". liam fox, the secretary of state for international trade... by of state for international trade... by the way, these are potential leadership candidates should mrs may lose tonight‘s vote. liam fox says he will support the prime minister tonight because it is a totally inappropriate time to have a contest and the country expects stability, not division. labour mp took at, who we will talk to in a few minutes, says, the tory party can change the

prime minister but the parliamentary arithmetic does not change and why we have over how many tory mps theresa may can get tobacco, the real business of sorting out this mess goes on again. a critic of theresa may, sur bernard jenkin, the conservative mp, who put in a letter who helped trigger the no—confidence vote, said, "the uk changed prime minister in may 1940 in the middle ofa minister in may 1940 in the middle of a monstrously greater national crisis. if it has to be done, it has to be done". another conservative brexiteer, andrea jenkin, said —— andrewjenkins, "i take it that those cabinet members defending the pm will not put their name to the leadership election. i hope collea g u es leadership election. i hope colleagues will vote the right way this evening. it is time we had a new leader to save brexit and unite the country". and one more for now, jacob rees—mogg, the conservative backbench mp, also very critical of the prime minister, "the country needs a new leader. it is time for mrs may to resign". the leave supporting conservative mp, sir crispin blunt, is here. he is one of those who submitted a no confidence letter.

they have triggered the vote tonight. very kind of you to night me. did i call you sir crispin blunt? apologies, definitely not, we may have been mixing you up with bernard jenkin but good morning. 0bviously bernard jenkin but good morning. obviously you will vote against the prime minister tonight. what is the point of trying to change your leader when you don‘t have an alternative leader or an alternative plan that would get a majority in parliament? what has happened over the last two years is the prime minister set out her vision for brexit with admirable clarity in the lancaster house beach and repeated in the conservative manifesto and has been very clear about the customs union and the single market not being right for britain and she is now presented us with a deal which leaves us in the customs union are definitely. going back to the question, what is the point of trying to change leader? she was right when she said no deal is better than a bad deal and this is a monstrously bad deal as we would have found out yesterday, because

the voters in the house of commons would probably have knocked it down by about 250 vote. but you don't have an alternative leader or an alternative plan that will get a majority. it is very important that whoever is leader of the party, if theresa may survives the vote this evening, then she is going to have to do this task, she will have to articulate a vision and a path to the 29th of march for us to leave in good order, to negotiate with our european union partners over the management of the transition to world trade organisation term. you still haven‘t answered my question, sorry to interrupt but what is the point of trying to change this leader when you don‘t have an alternative plan that could get a majority in parliament what is the point? because parliament has already legislated for us to leave the european union on the 29th of march. right... weight. is this the a nswer march. right... weight. is this the answer with yellow it is central to the question because only the government can legislate. the fact there is a majority in parliament to

then express views and passed motions doesn‘t make a difference to the government itself. the government, like every other citizen, is governed by the law. the law is what is taking a.” citizen, is governed by the law. the law is what is taking a. i don't understand what you are saying. the law of the land is passed by parliament in legislation. yes. that is different from resolutions of the house of commons, 0k? the law of the land is taking us to the 29th of march to leave the eu. yes. there is at the moment no agreement with the european union and the european union has made it perfectly clear that what is on offer is not changing or getting any better. yes. therefore, we are leaving. as long as the law doesn‘t change. whoever heads the government has a critical role in whether they will be complicit in changing the law and altering the path to the 29th of march. so you don't want the path to be altered, you want to leave without the deal? she was dead right, no deal is better than a bad deal. when i chaired the foreign

affa i rs deal. when i chaired the foreign affairs committee, we looked at the implications of no deal.” understand. what is important is we have got to stop project catastrophe. i had some talking yesterday about economic armageddon if it happens. i‘ve no idea who it was but it was in the media and you‘ve got to challenge people when they say that because it is simply not true. 0nce our eu colleagues realise that we are going to leave, then they will help us manage the process sensibly. we will see because if you succeed in removing mrs may and installing one of your own brexiteers as leader, can you imagine the house of commons endorsing their hard brexit or the no deal you want? moving to world trade organisation terms. clean brexit. can you imagine the house of commons and/or sing a clea n the house of commons and/or sing a clean brexit, no deal you want? the house of commons and/or sing a clean brexit, no dealyou want? the house,is clean brexit, no dealyou want? the house, is already has and has

legislated for it in the house of lords. despite the amendments last week and parliament said we will have a say in how this moves over the next few months and the majority don‘t want no deal? the next few months and the majority don't want no deal? that is why we need a leader of the government that will make it clear the government will make it clear the government will have some steel to get there despite the majority view of mps who wa nt to despite the majority view of mps who want to steal the referendum result from the people. that is what is at sta ke. from the people. that is what is at stake. when you hear the stuff about people‘s vote is people who took the losing side in the referendum, wanting to reverse that vote. are you worried about losing tonight? a number of people are quietly confident mrs may is going. number of people are quietly confident mrs may is goingm theresa may wins, good luck to her, she will command the support of more than half of my colleagues and therefore all of us as far as confidence in her government is concerned and she is free from challenge for a year. it is up to her to make clear that she will get

us her to make clear that she will get us out on the 29th of march, make the plan to get to wto terms and have a vision for the future that gives an opportunity to the whole of the country. who would be a better leader in your view? let's answer the first question, see what happens tonight. i do have a view but i will not express it until we need to know whether to express it or not. theresa may could win the vote, still be the prime minister and then she is faced with the challenge of getting us out on the 29th of march. 0n e—mail, jan has said, i have never known a set of arrogant, backstabbing politicians who are putting the country at risk for their own political gain. all because they think they can do better with brexit, which was never going to be easy to do". we have the house of commons and there are computing views in there which is what we would expect in a

parliamentary democracy. she might be thinking about the people who look as though they are going to steal the brexit decision from the people. that is what we have got to be on guard for. those of us who are a minority, who supported brexit in the first place. but the majority gave that decision to the electorate. the electorate took the decision in the referendum and we have now got to get it through. of course it is bumpy wells people are arguing over the agreement terms and the rest, but we are going to get there. free trade agreements with whoever we want, £39 billion to encourage our european partners to help make the transition a stable one. they will not give a free trade deal with the uk if we don‘t give them the £39 billion, which will eagerly owe them. no, we don't legally owed them it. yes we did. the house of lords said we do

legally owed them. why are you arguing this position in this way? would you like me to say nothing and you can just talk? to say we legally owe it, we don‘t. the uk and the eu have negotiated and come to a conclusion that we owe them 39 billion. in the withdrawal agreement. the house of commons has agreement. the house of commons has a responsibility for the taxpayers money. if that 39 billion, the government said if we give them 39 billion, but we don‘t get anything back, what is our responsibility for the money. do you care what david cameron thinks today? he has treated, i help conservative mps will back the prime minister in the vote. we need no distractions from seeking the best outcome from our friends, neighbours and partners in the uk. he is entirely entitled to his opinion but he doesn‘t have a

vote because he chose to leave the house of commons. are you interested in what voters have to say?” house of commons. are you interested in what voters have to say? i am, but one of your other competing collea g u es but one of your other competing colleagues want me to go and talk.” ama colleagues want me to go and talk.” am a bit late for that. we will talk to some more mps in a moment. lucy says, i don‘t think the health secretary is speaking for the people. theresa may has made brexit shambles. i know numerous people are hoping, myself included, but she loses this vote. there is a demonstrator, who has been here every day, regularly calls out, "cancel brexit". lucy goes on to say, she is not speaking for the people. nicola on e—mail says i am fed up of politician telling us what they know the country once. we need a prime minister like david davis, truly committed to brexit. robert

says, i would truly committed to brexit. robert says, iwould be truly committed to brexit. robert says, i would be happy with no deal at this late stage, this indecision makes us look like fools in the eyes of our european partners. robert goes on, there would be a period of recession and uncertainty but there would only be one way forward the uk would only be one way forward the uk would emerge stronger and in a better position and proud of themselves for succeeding alone. mike says, those who have brought about this leadership challenge and at this time should be locked up in the tower and charged with treason. they are undermining the prime minister‘s authority at home and abroad and putting ourfuture minister‘s authority at home and abroad and putting our future at risk. let‘s talk to the conservative mps andrew bridgen and vicky ford and the labour mp chuka umunna, who is in favour of another referendum. is that still your position? yes. vicky ford, how do you respond to the events of this morning?” vicky ford, how do you respond to the events of this morning? i will be voting to keep theresa may. i am

a boring person and i am a conservative person and i don't believe in taking unnecessary risks. it is an uncertain time for the country anyway and the last thing the country needs is a change prime minister, change of leadership. we need to work together to find a way through. chuka umunna, you are a labourmp, through. chuka umunna, you are a labour mp, what through. chuka umunna, you are a labourmp, what do through. chuka umunna, you are a labour mp, what do you view the event so far? replacing the prime minister not make any difference to the parliamentary arithmetic. it is gridlocked and cannot agree on how we leave the european union. will not make any difference to the eu negotiating position. ithink honestly, your viewers will take great exception, i suspect what is going on. essentially you are having this refract into the tory party, 315 mp5 this refract into the tory party, 315 mps determining, in the short term anyway, the destiny of the country and everyone else is locked

out of the debate. you were just saying with your discussion with crispin, one of your viewers has said, don‘t tell us what we think. the parliament had the will of the people in 2016, nobody has any idea what the will of the people is now. my e—mail box has been pinging ever since it broke this morning with messages of support for the prime minister including my party members who voted to leave. they see her as someone who voted to leave. they see her as someone who is fighting to get the best deal. i have met representatives from the dutch embassy who are focusing on how do we try and get this withdrawal agreement, get those concerns about it addressed. really? absolutely. so let's listen to what she has to say and let's also remember that either, what are the alternatives? you go

into a hard brexit. what do you think of your colleagues who have triggered this no—confidence vote?” understand why people are concerned. but to trigger a confidence vote, you understand that?” but to trigger a confidence vote, you understand that? i do and to a certain extent, this has been hanging over the prime minister for many weeks. so it is a good thing? maybe it is because we will get it done and under the party rules this motion of no confidence can only happen once a year. if she does win this evening and i have spoken to many of my colleagues who want to support her because they want the consistency in this very difficult time, that will bring a bit more certainty to the position. sorry to interrupt, i am sorry but if she wins, how does it bring more certainty? she still doesn‘t have a parliamentary majority for her deal

even with one or two modest changes? if she wins tonight, the issue of the leadership issue will be set aside for the next 12 months under the party rules and it will then be her decision. in terms of getting this deal or a deal through, i think people need to remember all the other options carry huge risks and uncertainty. but it doesn't bring certainty... it is not a deal. we don‘t know what the uk‘s future relationship is going to be with the european union. actually, you do. no you don‘t, it has been shoved into a declaration of aspiration and we have been asked to pay a divorce bill of £40 billion for nothing. that is why there is gridlocked in the house of commons and whether she stays or not, that doesn‘t change. the future framework has been agreed by the 27 other nations and they

have made it clear they intend to honour it. it is not, it is a declaration. are you calling the other members dishonourable? don't talk over each other, please. other members dishonourable? don't talk over each other, pleasem other members dishonourable? don't talk over each other, please. it is a declaration of aspiration and will ta ke a declaration of aspiration and will take three or four years to negotiate a future trading relationship with the eu. in that parliament we will get a different head of european parliament, different head of the council and there will be change in government. nobody knows whether the declaration will be a reality. do you feel any closer to what you want which is a so—called people‘s vote? closer to what you want which is a so-called people's vote? this is broken, i am sorry to your viewers about back, it is a disgrace what is going on in this country at the moment. if this place is gridlocked i don‘t know how you can resolve it other than refer it back to the people. does what happens today justified the labour leadership not tabling an no—confidence motion in

the government because they have been able, as some have put it to me, sit back and watch. we shouldn't be sitting back and watching anything, we should be providing leadership. i don‘t believe we can resolve this other than by having people‘s vote and the labour leadership has said we have to go through the process of exhausting a general election first. the labour leadership are not showing leadership are not showing leadership because they are pretending they can deliver a deal which is completely undeliverable. they should roll up their sleeves and decide what they can support. and your deal is not deliverable. that is not true and you know it. vicky ford and chuka umunna, thank you very much. we will continue bringing your reaction from westminster to the day, to the evening, the night and the morning. lunchtime, afternoon and evening, this‘ll be going on for days. we will bring you other news now... let‘s turn to some other news now,

because hundreds of members of the french security forces are searching for a gunman who opened fire near a popular christmas market in strasbourg last night — killing three people and wounding several others. the french interior minister said the suspect — a local 29—year—old, escaped after twice exchanging fire with soldiers and police. he‘s believed to be injured. tesa arcilla is a correspondent for euronews and was at a restaurant near to where the shooting happened. what did you see? actually, first time at the european parliament were last night people were on lockdown. they were asked, we were asked to stay indoors. i was at a restaurant in the centre of the city next to the christmas market where it was taking place, where the attack was taking place, where the attack was taking place, where the attack was taking place, very close to it. very quickly as we entered the

restau ra nt, quickly as we entered the restaurant, police officers were standing in front of the restaurant and asking everybody to stay put and not leave the area. the interior minister increased the level of the security threat to the highest possible level. we have seen deployment of military personnel, heavily armed police officers, hundreds of authorities and officers are still looking for the gunman. he is still at large and that is the difference in the other attacks in europe, the next day normally people have this defiant sense and go about their day but it has been very quiet in strasbourg. especially christmas season where tourists come and go to the city centre. there is the question of where is this man, is he still in france? it is worrying people because his whereabouts are unclear. the latest in that investigation is that five people have been brought in for questioning. no one is confirming a possible motive, except we know he

has been on the radar of authorities, he has been surveilled. i think the question people are asking, if he has been known to the authorities, how could this take place? security has been very tight because it is the christmas market season and they very popular in strasbourg. we have to go to checkpoint before we got to the city centre last night. when that incident took place, immediately a swarm of police officers were cordoning off areas of the city. the latest number we have is two people have been killed. tesa, thank you for bringing us the latest from strasberg. if you‘vejustjoined us, in the past few minutes, welcome to viewers in britain and around the world. it‘s been a frantic morning here at westminster. theresa may is to face a challenge to her leadership of the conservative party.

the required 48 letters of no confidence was reached last night, triggering a vote. this morning, the leader of the tory backbench1922 committee, sir graham brady, announced the secret ballot would take place today. 0utside downing street this morning, the prime minister said she would fight to remain leader with everything she had. here‘s what‘s happening later — the prime minster has cancelled all her scheduled meetings and will now address the 1922 committee at 5:00pm. a ballot is due to be held shortly afterwards between 6:00pm and 8:00pm — the question they will be asked on that ballot is phrased like this: ‘i have confidence in theresa may as leader of the conservative party‘ to which mps can vote yes or no. mrs may must win the support of at least half of the conservative parliamentary party to avoid a leadership contest. if she loses she will not be able to stand in that leadership contest. if she wins she is safe

in her position for a year. the conservative mp, andrew bridgen is here. he is one of the 48 mps who wrote to say graham brady. you've got what you want. i wrote injuly when the prime minister came forward with that flawed deal. it was inevitable. disappointing it has taken so long to get here and so much time has been wasted but we are in a position where herflagship policy, her withdrawal agreement cannot proceed to the house of commons. she has been to europe to try to get concessions, having spent weeks this is the best deals you could possibly do, undermining her own renegotiation position. she is a prime minister who is drowning and angela merkel has been throwing buckets of water at her. or you could say people like yourself,

backbench mps have been throwing buckets of water at her? this is the last chance to say brexiter... it is worth throwing her under a bus to get the brexit you want? this is the best political outcome for the country. where your raqqa is your brexit the best brexit?” country. where your raqqa is your brexit the best brexit? i was com pletely brexit the best brexit? i was completely behind the prime minister when she was giving her lancaster house speech, when brexit meant taking back control of our money, law and border, leaving the single market, leaving the customs union, being able to do free trade deals around the world. i was behind the prime ministerfor two around the world. i was behind the prime minister for two years. i was a rebel to call for the referendum, i was on loyalist the two years, now iama i was on loyalist the two years, now i am a rebel. i have not got anywhere. one voter has said, i am shocked these 48 mps are sabotaging brexit. you laugh at that why? we will end up stuck in a backstop agreement. not necessarily, you have to be honest with people, not necessarily. when you have 27

european regions vetoing any agreement under the withdrawal agreement. this woman is worried there will be no brexit at all and she says it is because of people like you. we are the brexiteers, at the end of the day we are trying to save brexit. this is a blind alley way the prime minister is taking parliament and the country down. we have wasted months on the deeply flawed chequers proposals, which have cost her how many brexiteers? they have left the cabinet. i will talk to your colleagues, james cleverly, i gabbidon want to talk to each other, so you are happy to?” will go, if that is fine. good morning to you. you can step in. i am happy to. how do you regard collea g u es am happy to. how do you regard colleagues like andrew bridgen?” have known him for many years and i

like him a lot. he was wrong to put ina like him a lot. he was wrong to put in a letter. he knows my position on that. it doesjeopardise brexit because at the very point the prime minister is pushing for those final negotiations to deliver the brexit that she has promised the british people and i campaigned for, we have this, a big distraction at best. my real fear is it might undermine the whole brexit process completely. the problem is, by the way she has conducted herself, it has led to a loss of trust among some of your colleagues? i don‘t know how far you wa nt to colleagues? i don‘t know how far you want to go back, but she said i will never call a snap election. she called a snap election. she said no deal is better than a bad deal. she didn‘t mean that. she said the vote would go ahead on tuesday, she changed her mind. people don‘t believe what she says any more, do

you accept that? the person who e—mailed in clearly thinks the best thing to deliver brexit is to support the prime minister, so i agree. i am suggesting to you that is why some people have lost faith in her. there are some people who have set themselves on a course, people criticising chequers before they had seen chequers. criticising they had seen chequers. criticising the withdrawal agreement before they read it. i disagree with them, i think the best thing we can do now is get the prime minister the time she needs to push for those final bits of negotiation with the eu. i know she said she believes this is the best deal she can get. if it is true, i have already said that whilst not perfect, it is a deal i would support. if she can come back with even more, that is better still. i will not criticise her for coming back with a better deal still. if she comes back with some changes, realistically do you think

there would be a majority in parliament for that when you have heard some of what your colleagues are saying, ditch the backstop and get out of the customs union? andrew we nt get out of the customs union? andrew went through a list of things he believed the referendum was about. i agree with him. during the referendum campaign. let‘s not go over that if you don‘t mind, deal with the events of today. if she gets a modest changes, do you think realistically there will be a majority in parliament voting for her, if there is a postscript to the political declaration about the backstop? if she can get something which calms the concerns people have about the backstop, then a significant number of conservative mps have made it clear that is what they are concerned about. it is not about her, it is about the backstop. if she can get movement on that, then they will support it. labour mps are uncomfortable at the party

unicorn for everybody, make it up as you go a long, brexit position and they want to make sure the referendum is respected and leave the european union on the 29th of march. there is a chance, predictions in this environment are a bit ofa predictions in this environment are a bit of a fool's game but i think there is a chance, if she can get movement on those areas, we can get enough support in the house of commons so we enough support in the house of commons so we leave enough support in the house of commons so we leave the european union on the 29th of march. that is what i want, it is what we have been working towards. matt hancock has predicted on this programme earlier that there will be a strong majority supporting theresa may tonight. would you concur? the feedback i have been getting from both conservative colleagues looking at their social media output, also the support i am hearing from my constituents and the country, lens, for me, the indication that he is right. i hope she will win. i think

she will win because then we can get on with the stuff we have been doing, growing the economy and growing salaries. it is a secret ballot? that is the opportunity in any secret ballot, but people i speak to understand that what we need to do now is deliver brexit, keep the economy growing, keep the job growth, the wage growth, investment in police and the nhs. the things we have been doing. and this particular process today will bea this particular process today will be a temporary distraction from. thank you very much for talking to us, james cleverley conservative mp and vice—chair of the conservative party. let‘s have very of the prime minister‘s statement this morning. we must and we shall deliver on the referendum vote and deliver on the policies ahead. we are party of the

whole nation, moderate, pragmatic, mainstream. committed to reuniting our country and building a country that works for everyone. the agenda i set out in my first speech outside his front door. delivering the brexit people voted for, building a country that works for everyone. i have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since i became prime minister and i stand ready to thejob. prime minister and i stand ready to the job. we have a couple of minutes left of the programme and time to squeeze in three people before them. patrick kidd is a political sketch—writer at the times, katy balls is political correspondent at the spectator. you were pps to the prime minister when she was home secretary. he will be voting for her? i will be, i was

on her campaign team when david cameron resigned, to be leader. i think she will win this evening and she should because it is the best way we can deliver brexit by having theresa may as prime minister, someone theresa may as prime minister, someone who has proven to get the job done at this point. is she going to win? so far the mood music is she is going to win. this is a secret ballot and although we are getting enthusiastic, loyal tweets and messages we don't know what they will do behind closed doors. 0ne caveat, the problem of those trying to oust theresa may now, it will look like a brexiteer plot. so far it has been eurosceptic mps saying she should go. but there are critics in the party who want her to be gone in the party who want her to be gone in the next year and if she wins, she is immune from challenge. they will be saying, do it now or hold on because it is a tricky choice. there

will be two moments when the party has an opportunity to show support. we have prime ministers question time. mr ellis is one of the enthusiastic shouters on the backbenches. she will addressing the 1922 committee later and i am sure they will be banging on the desk like anything. but how much sharpening is going on beneath the desks while they are banging? louise says, iam desks while they are banging? louise says, i am disgusted at the actions ofa says, i am disgusted at the actions of a handful of self—serving, indulge in members of the party who are only interested in their own political ambitions regardless of the country at large". do you think it is representative, that kind of you? i think a lot of people, if we get to a leadership contest over christmas, a lot of people wonder what is going on and it will be seen as an act of self—indulgence. maybe people decide it was worth it in retrospect, but given how close we are to leaving the eu, optics will

not be good. andy says, theresa may has shown a good job and nobody else could do it. most people want her to get on with it. newsroom live is thank you for your company. it is going to be a busy day. have a good day. good morning we have a bit of sunshine developing across eastern areas of england. elsewhere it is cloudy but breaks developing in the cloudy but breaks developing in the cloud across the midlands, east wales and perhaps into northern england as well. towards western scotla nd england as well. towards western scotland and northern ireland, the west of wales we have a weak weather front bringing patchy rain through the afternoon. maximum temperature getting up to six to 11 degrees.

tonight, we will continue with patchy rain around western areas. elsewhere there will be clear spells and perhaps colder than last night. a touch of frost. towns and cities holding up above freezing but one to three degrees and less cold in the west. 0n three degrees and less cold in the west. on thursday we will have outbreaks of rain across the far west. elsewhere, more sunshine compared to today. temperatures five to seven celsius but there will be a stronger win tomorrow so it will feel more like freezing up to two or three degrees and a noticeable difference. goodbye. you‘re watching a bbc news special, i‘m joanna gosling live from westminster.

the prime minister vows to fight for herjob after conservative mps trigger a vote of confidence in her leadership. sir graham brady has confirmed that he has received 48 letters from conservative mps so there will now be a vote of confidence in my leadership of the conservative party. i will contest that vote with everything i‘ve got. the chairman of the conservative backbench1922 committee says the ballot will be held tonight. the prime minister will come and address conservative colleagues at the 1922 committee meeting at 5pm this afternoon and immediately after that meeting, a ballot will be held between 6pm and 8pm and we will count as soon as we can and provide a result as soon as we can after that.