a re issued a statement saying they are not prepared to renegotiate. the only way to break this deadlock. a new leader? the new leader would have to say we are not having this agreement. whatever happens, the agreement. whatever happens, the agreement with these arrangements that saw off end the status of northern ireland. indeed, david trimble, one of the architects of the peace process northern ireland said these arrangements are a challenge themselves to the good friday agreement. this cannot go forward in its present form. it has two big change, or we have to be prepared to leave the eu without a withdrawal agreement. if theresa may wins tonight, you have missed time this challenge?

there is never a good time to try and refuel your administration in flight with and refuel your administration in flight with a fresh prime minister. occasionally it happens at their worst times. the legend elite moment in may 191i0 when the conservative hearty in parliament put in winston churchill. this is a tiny crisis compared to that. it should not prevent as being agile and doing what is necessary, at the prime minister needs to be changed, it needs to be done, but the tech with change in the house of commons, the authority of the new prime minister would be stronger than the present prime minister. thank you. mps are voting. they have two hours to vote. one more hour for them voting. they have two hours to vote. one more hourfor them to make their decision. thank you.

we did not top batch of what would happen if she loses, let us address that for the next few minutes. let us that for the next few minutes. let us say she does lose, how quickly do you think the conservative party could haul and finish a leadership election? they said they would try and do it quickly. they would meet tomorrow, the conservative party board, as well as graham brady to see how they could do this. they have indicated candidacies would happen very quickly, to get the first ballot of mps by next tuesday. before the recess. the aim is to get to multiple ballots by thursday when their house rises for christmas. that would then leave them however much time they have got for it to go to the membership, normally that involves hustings, sending out materials, going around the country. again they have said they will try

and expedited so it could mean a lot of conservative members are kept busy over christmas. some of them have told me in recent months that they were annoyed with the last leadership contest because they said it was a coronation and they did not get a full role in it. they get to candidates that go to the country, then the membership would vote. that is right. they can have as many candidates as put themselves forward for the first ballot with the mps that then it whittles down to two members who would then go off round the country. last time it was andrea leadsom and theresa may, andrea leadsom and theresa may, andrea leadsom dropped out, it ended up being theresa may, it is back to 2005 when david cameron was elected ona 2005 when david cameron was elected on a membership vote. tell us about what you have been

discussing with people today? what are you thinking. to take those who have been supporting theresa may. they are furious about what they would describe as hardline brexiteers in their own party. they would use language which is stronger than that. i detected a certain sense amongst the brexiteers that they may not be able to pull it off and what they do next is not entirely clear. a couple of things. one, the conservative party has a massive problem on its hands. we have said there's so many times on bbc news. to describe the conservative party as divided over judah is like describing bits are hardly desert —— describing the sa ha ra hardly desert —— describing the sahara desert as sandy. this macro —— describing the conservative party as divided over europe is like

describing the sahara desert as sandy. even if she wins tonight she could be and seated by a vote of no—confidence shortly afterwards. could be and seated by a vote of no-confidence shortly afterwards. we waiting to see further labour wants to trigger that. they are running out of time before christmas. that figure down a motion are still has two big timetables and there are very few days left before they could do that. i heard a scenario that could happen next, theresa may finds she has survived, she cannot get a deal, she does not want to be closer was with the european union, so what she does despite saying she would not, is retired deal to the people ina not, is retired deal to the people in a second referendum. just one scenario. thank you. we are an hour

into that ballots. it will close at eight o'clock. we will get the result at around nine o'clock and we will give you that result on abc news. -- bbc news. —— bbc news. a chilly feel. under those clear skies it will turn quite cold. the british isles is the battle ground between high pressure into scandinavia and frontal systems dry to push in from the atlantic. they are not making much impression. there will be more in the way of cloud. elsewhere it will be a cool night. frost not out of the question. that is going to be the story for the next couple of days. that weather fans trying to push in that high pressure keeping it at bay. plenty of isobars, wind

direction is south easterly, a cold source at this time of year. it will feel noticeably cooler. a lots of dry weather and even breaks in the cloud, sunny spells, but you have got to factor in the wind. direction and speed. on the thermometer ed macey four, 5 degrees that factor in wind direction it will be cold. —— the thermometer might see four or 5 degrees. as through move out of thursday the winds will be lighter. with the exception of the western isles, northern ireland, the art southwest, temperatures will hold up above freezing but we could see a cold start on friday, frost first

thing in the morning. largely drive. that frontal system trying to push in from the west. this could cause issues on friday into saturday. for a time as it moves across that call that here we could see some snow. this will mainly fall on higher ground in scotland northern england, but some of it could fall at lower levels so you need to keep abreast of the weather forecast. this is bbc news. the prime minister's fate is being decided right now — conservative mps are an hour into voting on whether she should stay or go. theresa may addressed tory mps at a private meeting in these chambers an hour ago — she promised whatever happens she would not lead them into the next general election this morning, as news broke of the leadership challenge — the prime minister spoke to the nation and vowed to fight on and deliver brexit. 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. tension, division and uncertainty in westminster tonight — as theresa may's leadership hangs in the balance.