a challenge to the prime minister as conservative mps trigger a vote of confidence in her. of confidence in her leadership. theresa may says she'll fight with everything she's got to keep herjob. sir graham brady has confirmed that he has received 48 letters from conservative mps, so there will be now be a vote of confidence in my leadership of the conservative party. i will contest that vote with everything i've got. at least 48 tory mps sent letters of no confidence required to trigger a ballot. the vote will take place tonight. a ballot will be held between six and eight o'clock and we will count as soon as we can and provide a result as soon as we can after that. i will have all the latest from here in westminster and also reaction from brussels. also this lunchtime: france is on the highest state of alert, as police hunt the man who killed three people at a christmas market in strasbourg. donald trump's former lawyer michael

cohen faces jailfor donald trump's former lawyer michael cohen faces jail for campaign finance violations, so what could that mean for the president? and tea m that mean for the president? and team sky, which produce britain's first tour de france winner, loses backing from the broadcaster and could go out of business. and coming up on bbc news, the future of team sky is in doubt as the broadcaster announces it's ending its sponsorship next year, after an unprecedented period of success in the sport's history. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. theresa may says she will fight for her leadership with everything she's got after conservative backbenchers triggered a contest to remove herfrom power. the prime minister will face a ballot among

tory mps this evening. the challenge to her premiership was triggered after dozens of backbenchers wrote to the party saying they had lost faith in her. speaking in downing street, theresa may warned changing leader threatened to delay or even stop brexit and said the contest put the country's future at risk. our political correspondent, iain watson, has our first report on a dramatic day in westminster. the first clue that it really was going to be business as usual in downing street. a lot was going on under the cover of darkness. the chief whip julian smith, under the cover of darkness. the chief whipjulian smith, who is supposed to know the prime minister has enough support to carry on, let number ten late last night and i spotted him again very early this morning. soon after, we confirmed that the prime minister was facing a vote of no—confidence. after dawn broke, the podium appeared. there would be a prime ministerial statement, but definitely not a resignation. and when theresa may emerged, her message to her own mps was defiant. there will now be a vote of confidence in my leadership

of the conservative party. i will contest that worked with everything i've got. a change of leadership in the conservative party now would put oui’ the conservative party now would put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it. 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. minister and i stand ready to finish the job. but the trouble is, some people want to finish her political career. watching was owen paterson, one of the mps who signed a letter of no—confidence, he said the so—called backstop to avoid a hard border in ireland, was unacceptable. her deal is absolutely appalling. we don't leave the customs union. i was in washington recently, we won't be able to do trade deals and the backstop is completely unacceptable and it is quite unnecessary. and some of her critics point out that

under the conservative party rules, if mps don't dislodge her today, they are stuck with her beyond brexit. today was inevitable. i put my letter of no—confidence in back injuly and it is disappointing we are here, but we have to deal with it. colleagues have got to understand when they vote tonight, if the prime minister survives, she has 12 months where she can't be challenged. so there are many, many reasons, including public trust, as to why this vote of confidence is necessary. the downing street strategy is to get as many supportive voices in front of the cameras as possible before tonight's vote. the prime minister is the right person to take us forward and we need to give her our full support. all this vote today will do is push out the extremist who are trying to advance a particular agenda which would really not be in the interests of the british people or the british economy. and her predecessor treated his support, saying that any leadership contest would be a distraction. downing street will be arguing that there

already consequences from this challenge to the prime minister at a time when she should be negotiating with the european partners. she has had to cancel a cabinet meeting today and a meeting with her irish counterpart leo va radkar. today and a meeting with her irish counterpart leo varadkar. a crucial meeting, perhaps, to try and get the reassurance some of her own mps want over the issue of the irish backstop or how to avoid a hard border on the island of ireland. questions to the prime minister... one thing in her schedule that was cancelled was prime minister's questions. she had sidestepped abe vote on her deal asleep jeremy corbyn sidestepped abe vote on her deal asleepjeremy corbyn urged her to give mps say. the time for dithering and delay by this government is over. the prime minister has negotiated her deal, she has told us it is the best and only deal available. there can be no more excuses, no more running away. put it before parliament and let's have the vote. he should be honest with people. he should be honest with people. he should be honest with

people about his position. he couldn't care less about brexit. what he wants to do is bring down the government, create uncertainty, so the government, create uncertainty, so division and crash our economy. “ sew so division and crash our economy. —— sew division. the biggest threat to people and this country isn't leaving the eu, it is a jeremy corbyn government. and the snp went further in their criticisms of the prime minister. the tory party is in chaos. the prime minister is a disgrace with her actions. the reality is that people across scotla nd reality is that people across scotland and the uk are seeing this today. prime minister, take responsibility, do the right thing, resign. after pmqs, theresa may's todayis resign. after pmqs, theresa may's today is likely to get worse because, at 5pm, she effectively reapplies for her own job, talking to mps in what is called the backbench 1922 to mps in what is called the backbench1922 committee. at 6pm, they vote on her future in a secret ballot. if more than half of the

parliamentary party, 158 mp5, vote against, she will have to step aside and the leadership vote begins. the prime minister's argument is that a change of leadership could take so long, brexit would be postponed. but today, she had to postpone her own entry into parliament when the gates didn't open. some of her mps want her kept out of office permanently. so all eyes will be on that confidence vote tonight which takes place between 6pm and 8pm. 315 conservative mps will decide the prime minister's future. so what does theresa may need to do to win tonight's vote among her mps? the prime minister needs more than half of the votes of tory mps to win — that's 158 votes. if she does win, she'll safeguard her position as leader for another year. but if she loses, then what happens? there would be a leadership contest, and she would not be able to stand, but would remain as prime minister until a replacement is announced. tory mps then choose two candidates via a series of ballots to put forward to a vote of ordinary party members around the country. the candidates would be expected to take part in debates before

the final voting deadline. if there's only one candidate, then that person becomes conservative leader with no need for a vote from members. the winner of any tory leadership contest would also be expected to become the new prime minister. but there is a worry that this entire process could take weeks, leaving the brexit process even more uncertain. a leadership contest could delay the house of commons vote on the withdrawal bill even further — potentially putting the brexit deadline of 29th march in jeopardy. in a moment, we'll speak to our europe reporter, adam fleming, in brussels. but, first, our assistant political editor, norman smith, is in downing street. you are inside parliament in what is another remarkable day in politics. more than remarkable, this could well be a defining day, because europe is the issue that has devoured successive tory leaders. it did for devoured successive tory leaders. it did foers devoured successive tory leaders. it did for mrs thatcher, it destroyed

john major and fors david cameron from office and, tonight, we will discover whether this ao year from office and, tonight, we will discover whether this a0 year civil war is about to consume theresa may. and she has deliberately chosen to up and she has deliberately chosen to up the stakes by making this a vote not just about her leadership, up the stakes by making this a vote notjust about her leadership, but about brexit itself, saying if she is toppled, then brexit itself is at risk because whoever succeeds are simply won't have the time to negotiate a new deal. they will have to extend article 50, delay brexit and, in the uncertainty, who knows? maybe brexit will never happen. this morning, my senses after the initial shock and dismay, there is a growing confidence in team may, that they can win this. pretty much every key member of the cabinet has now come out and publicly declared their support. the bbc has calculated that around 172 tory mps have this morning issued public statements of

support. now, it is a secret ballot, so they may say one thing in public and vote another way, but mrs may had one of her better prime minister's questions. she gets to address the tory mps minutes before they vote. her opponents remain divided over who should stand againstand, divided over who should stand against and, intriguingly, divided over who should stand againstand, intriguingly, in divided over who should stand against and, intriguingly, in the last few minutes, a spokesman has appealed to tory mps, saying tonight is not about about who leads the tory party into the next general election. in other words, tory party into the next general election. in otherwords, mrs tory party into the next general election. in other words, mrs may is saying to those tory mps who are worried about her ability to win an election, don't worry, this vote is not about the general election, it is about now and it is about brexit. norman, thank you very much. let's go to adam fleming in brussels and not for the first time this week, they will be watching their televisions to see what is happening here tonight. of course they are and this is all happening in the run—up

toa summit this is all happening in the run—up to a summit of eu leaders taking place in brussels tomorrow afternoon. the chair of the meeting, the eu council president donald tusk, has just sent out invitations to leaders, triggering the summit, making sure it will happen and mrs may is mentioned by name in the invitation, so they are still expecting her to turn up as prime minister here tomorrow. the eu does not want to get involved in the domestic political situation, so do not expect anyone to say anything specific any time soon although, privately, i have been told the eu sees the situation as this, that the whole cabinet signed up to the deal, so it is not theresa may's brexit deal, it is the uk government's brexit deal. and in the dim and distant past of yesterday, when we we re distant past of yesterday, when we were talking about theresa may trying to get these legal guarantees about when the irish backstop would be used if it was ever triggered, i have been told there has not been enough time to get any official legal text on paper in time for it to be unveiled at the summit

tomorrow and it is unlikely anything along those lines will even be ready in time for christmas. but, who knows, even that may seem like age and history in a couple of hours' time. adam, thank you very much. what do people outside westminster think of the attempt to topple theresa may? voters in worcester elected a conservative mp last year and voted leave in the eu referendum. our reporter kathryn stanczyszyn has visited the town to gauge their view of the prime minister. christmas shopping in full swing in worcester. it is one of only two topics that anyone is talking about. the other, the fact that the prime minister is facing a rebellion. mrs may needs supporting. i'm not happy with people's attitude towards her in the cabinet. if they don't like it, they shouldn't be there, that's how i feel. she needs support. she was forced into the job through cameron and give her a chance, the god's sake. who else is going to actually do a betterjob? i don't

know, is the answer. i certainly think some of the potential new leaders who are going to put themselves forward for the conservative party, they certainly wouldn't get my vote. this i'm not going to name names. go on, name names. a blonde gentleman! this lady has been a jewel in the city for 25 yea rs has been a jewel in the city for 25 years and famously made jewellery for margaret thatcher but, as a staunch conservative, says this is not the time to change leaders. staunch conservative, says this is not the time to change leaderslj think they should have supported her more from the start then maybe doing it for their own good, rather than supporting her in what she has already negotiated. and to come up with this at the last minute and not give her support, i find with this at the last minute and not give her support, ifind it very wea k give her support, ifind it very weak and we need to stick together and get on with it. the tory majority was cut here in worcester at the last general election, but it remains a conservative city in a conservative county. many people i have spoken to today remain loyal to

the prime minister but, for others, it isa the prime minister but, for others, it is a welcome opportunity for a shake—up. and some people on this ancient street think this is long overdue. i think it is time to get rid of the whole conservative party. they are showing they are not together. if someone thinks they can do better, that is what it will be but it is obviously going to miss the deadline now, we are not going to be ready for next march, so it is a bit ofa to be ready for next march, so it is a bit of a mess all round. i think the british people deserve better than that. there are still those on the streets here and across the country who say they just want to get on with brexit. before that, though, could they be about to witness the death of a career? kathryn stanczyszyn, bbc news, worcester. i'm joined by the environment secretary, michael gove. i have to say, it is unusual for number ten to be ringing around lunchtime bulletins and offering cabinet ministers. is this because you are quite rattled? because you have let this very late to express support. when i heard this

has been called i made it clear i support the prime minister absolutely, i think she will win this evening, i think she scers to win, ithink this evening, i think she scers to win, i think we have heard from people in the country who are thinking why can't you mps get on with thejob, get thinking why can't you mps get on with the job, get on with delivering the brexit that people voted for and get on for governing in the national interest? that is what i am focussed on doing, which is why i am doing everything i can to convince conservative mps we should support the prime minister this evening. you will have heard people saying what it is about the conservative party and lord heseltine saying what it is about a party who when they want to change the song gets rid of the sing sner we saw that the labour party pitched itself into a leadership contest pitched itself into a leadership co ntest a nd pitched itself into a leadership contest and a majority of labour mps, a majority of labour mps showed they did not have confidence in jeremy corbyn. i am convince add majority of conservative mps tonight will show they have confidence in the prime minister, i'm also

confident given the conversations i have had with people in my constituency, that people want us to show full support for the prime minister, and they want us to get on with making sure we deliver brexit on march 29th of next year and we also concentrate on making sure the nhs gets the money it needs, our schools get the support they need and our environment is enhanced. an election last year that went wrong, you rely on the dup for support in parliament, a change of mind on monday you know you were minutes before it was announced saying the vote is going ahead. hasn't have brought this on herself? no, it is important we recognise that in 2016 more people voted than have ever voted in any democratic choice in our history, the prime minister is working hard every day, both to honour that referendum result and to do so ina honour that referendum result and to do so in a way which makes sure our economy remains strong as well as our democracy remaining vital. i think that we should put to one side, any of the criticisms that you

sometimes hearfrom side, any of the criticisms that you sometimes hear from commentators side, any of the criticisms that you sometimes hearfrom commentators and concentrate on the job, and sometimes hearfrom commentators and concentrate on thejob, and i know that the overwhelming majority of people in britain want to make sure that we have a government that delivers on the mandate and the instructions they have given. you think she will win? i am sure she win, and! think she will win? i am sure she win, and i think the sooner that all of this is put to bed and the sooner we unite behind the prime minister the bet for the country. is thank you. we will have more at the end of the bulletin from here at westminster but now back to you clive. theresa may vows to fight an attempt by her own backbenchers to remove herfrom by her own backbenchers to remove her from power by her own backbenchers to remove herfrom power in by her own backbenchers to remove her from power in a by her own backbenchers to remove herfrom power in a no by her own backbenchers to remove her from power in a no confidence vote tonight. sirgraham brad by vote tonight. sir graham brad by has confirmed he has received a8 letters from conservative party 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. coming up later on bbc news.

liverpool and tottenham secure qualification to the knock out stage of the champions league. a great save from goalkeeper alisson ensuring liverpool got the result they needed against napoli, leaving four british clubs in the draw for the last 16. france is on the highest state of alert, as police continue the hunt for a gunman, who shot dead three people, at a christmas market in strasbourg yesterday. 13 others were wounded in the attack, eight of them seriously. police have named the suspect as cherif chekatt, a 29—year—old petty criminal from strasbourg, who'd already been identified as a security risk. officials have stepped up checks on the german border, amid fears he may have fled the country. here's our europe correspondent, damian grammaticus. this is a city now on alert. hundreds of police on a manhunt. the site of the attack was strasbourg's christmas market, thronged with people when the gunman struck. screams.

he simply walked into the narrow old alleys and opened fire. within minutes, the heart of strasbourg was empty. people taking shelter hid in shops and bars, barricaded inside. after almost an hour, security forces and the attacker exchanged fire. "30 or a0 minutes", he says, the shooting went on for. he filmed police scrambling to take cover. he says he knew the attacker, a local man of algerian origin with a record of petty crimes. "yes, he was imprisoned here and germany too," he says. ali told us the gunman was sharif chakat. he knew him. both had spent time in prison for theft. he saw him armed with a kalashnikov shooting at people on the street and up in their homes. translation: i saw people running. police running too.

everyone was saying, "it's gunshots." so now hundreds of police and soldiers are searching for him. the nearby border with germany is being patrolled, and strasbourg's famous christmas market has been shattered, business stopped. the christmas market is one of the big attractions that draws visitors to us. we don't know when this one will reopen. france has been put on the highest level of alert, and the government says that security will now be stepped up at christmas markets across the country. damian grammaticas, bbc news, strasbourg. the body of the murdered british backpacker, grace millane, has been returned to herfamily, after being formally identified. the 22—year—old went missing in new zealand on decemberfirst, days after arriving in the country on a round—the—world trip. her body was later found on the outskirts of auckland on sunday. a 26—year—old man has appeared in court, charged with her murder. a bbc investigation, has found evidence that

the democratic unionist mp, ian paisley, was given a complimentary holiday at a luxury maldives resort, months after advocating on behalf of its government. earlier this year,he was suspended from the commons, for failing to declare two holidays in sri lanka. he has denied any wrongdoing. the dup says the party will consider the latest allegations. the scottish government will announce its tax and spending plans today. it's promised measures to protect public services, including health and education, and to boost the economy. but the snp needs the support of another party for the budget to pass. he was once donald trump's lawyer and loyal mr fixit, but, today, michael cohen is due to be sentenced for breaking election rules in making illegal payments to two women who claimed to have had affairs with the president. federal prosecutors are recommending that he serve at least three and a half years injail. neda tofeek reports from new york. michael cohen, for more

than a decade, protected donald trump's interests. the pit bull lawyer and fixer once said he would take a bullet for his long time boss — but no longer. the former loyalist is now himself a danger to the president. the legal tension has been building for months. tack in april, the fbi, in a dramatic raid, seized thousands of items from cohen's hotel and office. so ijust heard that they broke into the office of one of my personal attorneys, a good man, and it's a disgraceful situation, it's a total witch hunt. under pressure, cohen began co—operating with federal officials and reached out to robert mueller, the special counsel investigating russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. in two separate plea agreements, he admitted to several crimes, including personal tax and bank fraud, but some of the charges implicated donald trump in wrongdoing. cohen paid hush money to porn star stormy daniels and a playboy model who said they had affairs with then candidate trump.

the president denies it, but cohen said both illegal payments were made in co—ordination and at the direction of mr trump to influence the election. and he admitted that he lied to congress about discussions with key figures in the kremlin, to build a trump tower in moscow, which continued well into the campaign. he also revealed that donald trump was more involved than previously known. no wonder, then, that the president is now disstanding himself from his former favourite fixer. he's a weak person, and by being weak, unlike other people that you watch, he's a weak person, and what he's trying to do is get a reduced sentence, so he's lying about a project that everybody knew about. michael cohen is expected to be sentenced to at least three—and—a—half years in prison. but there are lingering questions — mainly will any of this

impact donald trump? nada tawfik, bbc news, new york. let's speak to nada now. dy dy has confirmed jail time for jailtime foer jail time for mr cohen, what could that mean possibly for the president? well, clive, there could be significant consequence, prosecutors here have named donald trump as the person who directed the campaignfinance trump as the person who directed the campaign finance violations for which michael cohen will likely go to prison, a sitting president cannot be indicted according to justice department guidelines even though the constitution doesn't say that, but there would be nothing stopping prosecutors here from charging president trump if they feel they have a case once he is out off office, while the president has been politically #2u67bable until now, prosecutors could also bring evidence toe the house of representative, there democrats will

soon be in power and could impeach the president again if there is a case. and that is completely separate from the special counsel investigation into russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, michael cohen met with robert mueller seven times and gave him valuable information about contacts between the trump campaign and russia, so the big unremaining a nswered russia, so the big unremaining answered question is whether president trump will be implicated in that. thank you. debt charities are warning that some of the poorest families will have to rely on food banks over christmas, because of changes to the benefits system. from today, all new claimants across the uk, will be signed up to the government's flagship welfare reform universal credit. ministers say there's no reason for anyone to be without money over the festive season, because advance payments are available. david rhodes has more. erin is one of over a million people already on universal credit. this single mum says she doesn't know how she'll buy her son a christmas present.

everyone keeps saying, your priority is to feed your son, but then you've got to think he's going to think he's been naughty if santa doesn't bring him any presents on christmas morning. erin says delays in her universal credit payments have left her at times penniless. when i've paid my bills and my rent, i've got £26 of my wages left. so i use food banks a lot, and then obviously if i've got no gas or electric i've had to sleep at other people's houses. since 2016, the government has been rolling out universal credit to different parts of the country. from today, that roll—out is complete. anyone making a new claim for one of these six benefits will automatically go onto universal credit. the idea is to simplify the system, combining six different benefits into one monthly mea ns—tested payment. halifax was one of the first places in the uk to go onto universal credit. those that work in this food bank say the old benefits system needed reforming. they are struggling with rent and

council tax, the number of people in work in the uk is now at a record high, and the government says universal credit works for the vast majority of people and that no—one should go without money over christmas, because advance benefit payments are widely available, but for claimants like erin she feels december could be a long and uncertain month. the future of team sky, one of the most successful cycling teams in recent history, is in doubt. sky has announced its withdrawing its support for the squad next year. in the last eight years, team sky has won six tour de france yellowjerseys, making riders like sir bradley wiggins and chris froome household names. our sport correspondent david ornstein is at the manchester velodrome. david, how much of a shock is all

this? the news that sky is pulling the plug? it will be a shock to many clive, this is the base until recently, where team sky built much of their success, it was where it was born, where they master minded taking track, road cycling by storm, really, since their formation taking track, road cycling by storm, really, since theirformation in january 2000 #1e7b, they had the far—fetched name of becoming the first team to win the tour de france with the british cyclist, and they delivered and how can chris froome, but also sir bradley wiggins and geraint thomas only last summer. they have of course being questions also about team sky, many find them controversial, many find them unpopular, especially in franceer but also they have faced allegations of cheating, of crossing ethical lines which for a team that was set up lines which for a team that was set up on the basis of being whiter than

white amiss cycling's murky history of doping has seen their reputation tarnished for many. the timing is interesting, sky was taken over by comes cast and that cut the crucial link to james murdoch who was one of the driving forces behind team sky, as you said this will shock many, especially the riders and the staff as well. team sky onlyjust announced a new contract, a new deal for geraint thomas and so it will promote questions, where do they go from here, can they find another sponsor who will be able to find them anywhere in other the level. so really this is the end of what was an historic era. thank you for that let us return to simon. a

difficult day for the pm and it won't get easier because she will address members of her own party of the 1922 committee, that is happening at 5.00. let us talk to our assistant political editor norman smith inside parliament. what must she say to get through tonight? well, she will have that opportunity to make a last minute appeal before tory mps go and vote, and her supporters say a majority ofjust one is enough for her. i think that is very questionable, she will want a solid majority, and i think privately, her supporters are confident of getting that, we heard from the health secretary a last minute appeal before tory mps go and vote, and her supporters say a majority of just one vote, and her supporters say a majority ofjust one is enough for her. i think that