returned as the conservative leader. stay with us. plenty more to come here from westminster. this is bbc news i'm christian fraser at westminster where voting has closed in the ballot on theresa may's future. conservative mps have spent two hours deciding whether she should stay or go, the result‘s expected in the next hour. earlier she addressed what was described as an ‘emotional meeting, promising not to lead the party into the next general election. there was a real warmth in the room, there were some questions are whole series of questions, by a weirdo warmth towards her, and i very much hope —— a real warmth, and i hope they're backing her numbers. migrated to dodge change my mind,

i'm clear that migrated to dodge change my mind, i'm clearthat i'm migrated to dodge change my mind, i'm clear that i'm not supporting theresa this evening. 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, 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 the job. it's 8:00 here at westminister, and the ballot which will seal theresa may's fate has just closed, after a tumultuous day in british politics. for the last two hours conservative mps have been voting on whether she should continue as conservative party leader, let's show you the live shot of the

committee room where the boat has been ongoing. they'll be counting next—door and not room, a number of officials will go through those secret ballot, remembered secret ballot so what have you from politicians to date about the support they have a web—based in public and in private, not necessarily one and the same. 317 conservative mps were eligible to vote in the secret ballot, held at the house of commons. the prime minister needs at least 159 votes to survive. if she secures that, she's safe from another leadership challenge for another year. but if she loses, a leadership contest is triggered and she cannot be part of it. tory mps choose two candidates, and party members will vote on them in a postal ballot. to give you some more insight as to how mrs may's colleagues have been voting, here is a tweet from margot james,

a conservative mp and minister tweet showing the ballot paper — saying she's "proud to have voted in support of the pm, thank you to the many people who have contacted my office today to urge me to do just that" and she includes a picture of her ballot to prove it. our chief political correspondent vicki young joins us now from the house of commons. you've been talking to a few of them what's the mood what are they thinking has happened? it's one of the things you do impossible to predict because i'll tell you i've had a range of theresa may winning by just 20 and had a range of theresa may winning byjust 20 and then her winning by 105 think it's fair to say no one knows. i did see someone from the tea m knows. i did see someone from the team earlier and they seemed nervous, i think there is nervousness amongst mps on a long—term even if she gets through this tonight at there are dozens and dozens this tonight at there are dozens and d oze ns of this tonight at there are dozens and

dozens of her own side willing to vote against her in this scenario, how on earth are they going to get a brexit deal through? not just how on earth are they going to get a brexit deal through? notjust in the meaningful though by how do they get through all the legislation? there's piles that need to get through, and they're very concerned about that. it's clear from the eurosceptics to, that they feel a major problem with theresa may's premiership it's the fa ct theresa may's premiership it's the fact that the dup of course, the parties supporting the conservatives keeping the manpower really, that they are not happy with her and they have trust in her and they say that's why this bid to oust her has happened, but there are others who say she winds, and keep those against her down to about 60—70, that does give her some time and gives her some space to try and get her deal through, and of course it does not mean she can't be challenged in this way for a year, so that's why there are some on the brexit side who feel this is com pletely brexit side who feel this is completely the wrong timing and that actually securing her position is not what they want to do at this

stage. let's just not what they want to do at this stage. let'sjust show the viewers pictures of theresa may who of course went to vote, as she has the right to do and she's just arrived backin right to do and she's just arrived back in downing street this evening where she will be waiting for the results. we are told that we'll get that result around nine o'clock i presume when we come out you communicate to the prime minister which way it's gone and it interesting, i was talking to some people today, that the cabinet meeting had been cancelled and it turned pretty much into a telethon with supporters of theresa may ringing around mps urging them to support her in his boat. ringing around mps urging them to support her in his boatlj ringing around mps urging them to support her in his boat. i think they're taking nothing for granted, we had every single member of the cabinet tweeting very quickly, this morning that they were supporting her, but again, tory mps here are saying you can't believe a word anyone says, which is some would say is pretty shocking which may also explain the nervousness around this that people might be saying one thing a public and doing another

thing a public and doing another thing because of course, it's a secret ballot, i do think it's pretty striking that theresa may felt when she addressed the backbenchers earlier, but she had to say to them she did not intend to go to the 2022 election as their leader and acknowledgement by her, that many of her colleagues simply don't wa nt many of her colleagues simply don't want her to go on that long, what's interesting is how people are interpreting that, i had one loyal ministers saying oh i don't mean shall stand—down a year before the election she will be the one who ta kes election she will be the one who takes them into these negotiations about future relationship doctor would leave the eu, and another is saying oh she'll have to be gone by april so i think she has left some room for interpretation there and many people reading into it what they really want to hear. another mp probably more tellingly said the big question we do not know regardless of tonight is whether the conservative party is indeed capable of being led at all. that's a good point. stay there, will be back shortly. earlier i spoke to matt hancock, the secretary for health and social care.

he told me about the moment the prime minister told the meeting of backbench mps this evening, that she won't lead the party into the next election. as she talked about how actually asked —— last year she wanted to she knew it wasn't going to happen to is absolutely... is that her colleagues we re absolutely... is that her colleagues were saying is not possible. absolutely... is that her colleagues were saying is not possiblelj absolutely... is that her colleagues were saying is not possible. i have not made that case i do know who did, but that's what she said, and then she went through the very strong case for why she is the right person now to continue completely these negotiations on rex at which he is in the middle of, the machines boast be an ireland this afternoon, i'm there was a real warmth in the room, there were some questions whole series of questions but her real warmth towards her, and i very much hope that colleagues like me are backing her numbers. mac hancock

there are he is one in many column, but there are 48 others who put forward a letter of no confidence to sirgraham forward a letter of no confidence to sir graham brady forward a letter of no confidence to sirgraham bradya forward a letter of no confidence to sir graham bradya public forward a letter of no confidence to sir graham brady a public today was bernard jenkins who says... tory mp sir bernard jenkin said he hadn't changed his mind following may's last minute appeal and that he would still vote against her this evening. i'm afraid it did not change my mind. i'm clearthat i'm not supporting theresa this evening. it's not for any lack of admiration of herand it's not for any lack of admiration of her and undervaluing her commitment, but the situation we face is that the conservative government is rather lost its authority to command the confidence of the house of commons. and it's difficult to know how the government carries on its business without completely refreshing its relationship with the dup because we don't have an overall majority at

the moment we rely on the dup to support the conservative government, but they're very angry with theresa may because of the deal, that she brought back from the european union, which they regard as a very deep the trailer promises they made to the status of northern eyelid and the uk as we did the eu, and there is no sign that can be repaired, she breached it, she's gone back to brussels to see what reassurances can be given, but there is no prospect at any substantial change in that draft agreement. talking earlier, i'm pleased to say joining me now are henry newman, from 0pen europe, and dr catherine haddon, from the institute for government. it's one of those moments where the prime minister goes back to downing street and sits there and waits for the call from sir graham brady there's nothing she can do. know,

it's there's nothing she can do. know, its extraordinary dissuading for them to vote and we are now waiting for the conservative party to go and count those votes, i mean, it's quite strange because normally we here for like general election things in exit polls, there's a lot that goes around it, and this is been put together in just a day to get to this vote. i'm thinking, you used to be a political adviser, when she came into downing street, she got rid of a lot of people who were around the brexit campaign and she stripped away, people who perhaps in these recent months might have been friendly to the prime minister did think she's paying the price for the way she ran the office over the last few yea rs ? way she ran the office over the last few years? perhaps i think a problem she has had it not being able to explain the need for compromise in the brexit process, she could've straight after the referendum which we nt straight after the referendum which went to could've stood up and said look the lead campaign tries to make like it's not easy it's not, that remain campaign didn't fess up to the fact that actually the eu had

many areas of domestic life and loss, so look, this is going to be harder it'll take compromise and then she could've done it again when she lost the general election and lost majority, and the general electionjeter lost majority, and the general election jeter allowed the dup to get bills to the comments, but she has not done that and i think it's perhaps inevitable we're now seeing these challenges and it's finally spilt into the open, but it still seems she will this tonight and continue as prime minister but then the real problems start how to get the real problems start how to get the brexit you through the comments. someone tweeted today, that to be a prime minister uiq command either fear, love respect or you have to show competency, and on the first three elements of that she struggled because she doesn't have many friends really, within the party, in terms of competency, that has been shredded in recent days by the polling boat and sending ministers out to say the book was coming when she knew it wasn't, at that been a problem, that went against her tonight will she look back at the

last few days and they went wrong the wrong the? the problem is that stays with difficult options is no easy decision to take up the boat had gone ahead yesterday she might have lost it by a very large margin, and had leadership call to the question anyway, sol and had leadership call to the question anyway, so i think the dealing with those problems the prime minister is not a great salesperson should not able to articulate neatly the compromises or the advantages of the deal but what security is is very tenacious, everyone is able to respect that she she's in the comments this week and that last week in brussels as well, speaking to european leaders she's trying to do it and nobody can falter on that. although they don't wa nt falter on that. although they don't want it for the next general election, i think they made it clear, maybe he was one of those who told her so, out in the country there is some respect for the way she stacked added. there is some respect for the way she stacked addedlj there is some respect for the way she stacked added. i think if we look at her as a prime minister, the hours she has put in an parliament answering questions coming in with statements, she was there last few weeks she said multiple

sort of three—hour sessions going through all of the questions people had, probably more hours doing that kind ofjob in parliament than any prime minister who has been there a lot longer but still want to look at things including whip operation because in the run—up to meaningful boat there's lots of talk about how shall get through this in studio lots of positive noise going on a party management is crucial, and it cannot be kind and people like to be talking to mps who have to make sure your whips are doing that kind of job for you. it does not get easier, because she might win the bugs saying close one but two marshes up to brussels to try to bite or something batters. that's the irony of all of it, it does not change the mass, where the leaders say this deal is settled we close it we are not opening the majority, we will help around the edges perhaps at declarations and something more legally binding by a does not change anything ultimately were over the prime minister is. of course eve ryo ne prime minister is. of course everyone will look at the dup after

this tonight and see what they'll do it there is a buffer no competence brought by the labour party in opposition, are they going to fall behind her if she continues with the deal? they want a way for the meaningful boat which was postponed whether or not they try to jump ship earlier, i mean that partly depends on someone putting down a buffer can't —— no competence which is the only other way they can try and bring her down and the government as well and as we talk about it brings other consequences like a general election. is it possible that because we had an smp mp earlier saying were trying to force this an issue as tonight she may not be out of the woods we could be back within 14 of the woods we could be back within 1a days. of the woods we could be back within 14 days. at some point or another, she will have to face up to whether or not this deal is going to get through and if not, we are looking at noda preparations or some other plan and die involves looking for what kind of majority does exit stamp are limited to get some deal through. thank you both for the

moment. and a committee room 13 at the moment of their busy counting the moment of their busy counting the votes probably recapping as well its the margin of victory if it's a victory we will look at and comment on and the hour ahead, we are expecting if you joining us now that resulted comment at around nine o'clock but let's let's cross to the city and speak to our business editor simonjack. pretty volatile day for the pound. yeah, basically tearing our hair out dismay those are things that have been said about a fresh hail of leadership challenge a grand —— againstan leadership challenge a grand —— against an uncertain backdrop, we stop it fall sharply when she deferred the meaningful boat and kicked it into the new year, people thought they were definitely what one described to me as squeaky bum time, having said that, it's been

called a strong day for the pound because lots of people that are taking mps by their word that they'll return to the keys tonight and basically a foreign exchange trader told me that a may when it's priced and that means is if she loses, you could see some quite sharp moves and the pound downward because at this time of night this is the twilight hours for foreign exchange traders, it's pretty therein doesn't take many to move therein doesn't take many to move the market quite a lot but if she winds as we are expecting, markets had a habit of focusing on what is nextin had a habit of focusing on what is next in line and what does next is back to where we wear, a deal that very few business leaders very few mps think she can get through parliament and that poses all the same questions again. but in business due to per pair, they start spending little less than hiring fewer people, it's very corrosive to the animal spirits that businesslike

if they're going to proceed to invest. keep your eye on the pound that's the canary in the confidence coal mine but if she winds, i would not expect any massive gains, this is still a backdrop where businesses and investors are looking at this possible vote of confidence tabled by labour, she's going to be wounded one way or another, so i would not expect a surge of confidence and financial markets even if she does get the win and we are expecting. i'm full of pity for you because i know it's 1 degrees or 2 degrees colder in the city of london band over here in westminster so thank you very much forjoining us. let's bring in robbie walker who'sjoining us right now, had you expect it'll go? i think show when i think we would see probably two thirds of that i'm competent because she's had a good day today she's having a strong performance but more importantly, i think most colleagues

recognise that the public out there wa nt recognise that the public out there want is to see the process through to what i ever heard for my constituents is a chorus of people who are not the boards of the party thing actually want the prime minister to state to see the process through to the end, and to make sure she does deliver on what people voted for in the referendum. but she'd have to tell everyone tonight she's not going to fight on to the 2022 election, and have you been involved in conversations with her? i was there when she said it i was in some way sorry to hear but i think we all recognise that i think there are reasons why we chose her as leaderfor the party, to see there are reasons why we chose her as leader for the party, to see as through, many of us recognise will bea through, many of us recognise will be a difficult and challenging process of negotiations of the eu, to bring back considerable experience a tough negotiation, it wasn't to win the election i think we saw in 2017, actually the election did not go as planned, and i think it's election did not go as planned, and i think its reasonable for her to set out are the party that what she wa nted set out are the party that what she wanted to do was go and do exactly

what elected to do to see it through and deliverfor what elected to do to see it through and deliver for the country, what elected to do to see it through and deliverfor the country, and step aside and allow someone else to go forward. i think that's a magnanimous thing to do it's not obviously an easy decision, but a something that she can get behind and support her through. are you going to brussels tomorrow? know i will not be there, i think the prime minister is getting out there and beating personally, but our department is doing a lot of work, but to prepare and... is it because they're not involved and part of the problem? i don't think that's the case we suffer long period of time negotiations on the withdrawal agreement, david davis playing active part in that, but of course we re active part in that, but of course were talking about an issue poured huge importance and she should leave from the front and a cabinet has to ta ke from the front and a cabinet has to take key decisions so i worked in the department from the start of process i've seen parallel tracks of work going on about to prepare for a deal and to support negotiations but also to make sure we have necessary

preparations in place for no deal it's not the outcome we want to but it's not the outcome we want to but it's the responsibility to prepare, we are preparing a lot of the work i do is preparing for the next phase of negotiations to deliver on that. you have extra money because let's face it we are talking all night about it whatever happens here with the vote in a leadership contest, it does not change across the road and if you get something more that brussels offering at the moment, then nobody seems tight you get it through the house of commons. there's a lot of debate in which people are making their own personal bests, we have in front of as a good deal we need to make sure we see it through but of course it's right that the prime minister listened to conservative colleagues across the house across inviting —— is going and fighting to get having better and fighting to get having better and getting clear guidance on abbott that means we won't have to go into to be clear how we get out. that's the point, she can get a mechanism to when the geek —— withdraw unilaterally, or get an and gate,

they will not go for it and you don't have majority get it through. to importantly listen to can the concerns that dup haven't deliver on that but we also remember, we're talking about here at commitment as the uk, these are commitments for international treaties, and to the peace process is crucial we want to meet all those, so i think sometimes gets misrepresented a something that the uk didn't want or ask for, but we do wanted to make sure to not have a hard border, we also want to make sure we have protection of the territorial integrity, i think the prime minister is a huge fight on that and making sure it's not put into a sack break that supper customs are she's good she was to go further and improve it and address concerns. she was supposed in dublin today speaking, that was postponed is he big key to this really, is it him you have to convince? the irish are important in all of this i think

they will also be key allies we move forward to discussions on future relationships, it's in their interest for the uk to have a successful trading relationship with the eu. ireland benefits enormously from that so i think what we'll where as some of the politics of this have been difficult sometimes confrontational during process of the withdrawal agreement, once we can move on and move forward into future relationships actually their interest is in lockstep with hours, the crucial route we crosses address the crucial route we crosses address the backstop and make sure there's something the whole house can get behind in support but i think that is insight and we will secure the certainty business want ensuring we have backed implementation period and secure a clear orderly withdrawal from the eu, and secure a clear orderly withdrawalfrom the eu, and it allows me as a mature prophetic constituency to show my constituents we are actually delivering the outcome of the referendum. you are remaining optimistic thinking for being with us. robin walker their brexit minister, let's

go to brussels because they're rolling out the red carpet and preparing for the next summit and item plumbing is therefore as i and others is we were told, its going to be able to exit day. yes brexit wasn't originally on the eu summit, it was added by donald ties, and everyone's focus and brussels is not what's happening where you are, but the meeting that they are preparing for tomorrow and they are preparing for tomorrow and the working assumption is that theresa may is going to turn appear asa theresa may is going to turn appear as a bridge by minister and not as a ca reta ker as a bridge by minister and not as a caretaker as someone who will be out ofa caretaker as someone who will be out of a job soon, but someone who's taking their brexit deal to parliament and it's not process of getting to brexit the upper parliament where in brussels, the fundamentals have not changed. this isa fundamentals have not changed. this is a deal that was negotiated by theresa may but indoors by the entire cabinet, so if the uk government deal not to resume that it'll be a better deal on offer it there was a better prime minister,

they poleward cold water on that day said it went far as they can the deal is the deal and it's not going to be renegotiated. the other fundamental thing here, is arithmetic and parliament that blockage is an parliament and a change of personnel and their view could change that. so now the focus is on what theresa may is potentially going to ask for in terms of reassurance that she can get parliament, remember in the dim and distant history of yesterday that's what everything was about, words could she extract from brussels that'll help her sell the deal and everyone is looking at what those words are going to be what she'll ask and what you could offer that has both politically palatable and legal and what i'm hearing i don't think a offer much and certainly not operating we haven't heard before, the idea at the moment is there'll be a restatement of the bits of the brexit withdrawal agreement the divorce treaty, and political decorations spelling up the ship of the future of the relationship, taking all the bits of

those documents that suggest northern irish backstop is never going to be needed, and everyone will worked really super—ha rd going to be needed, and everyone will worked really super—hard to make at the case, butjumbling them together into a big new document which won't be legally writing but something in black and white that she'll be able to go back to london would. big question is it'll satisfy who's don't want to support as we shall see. thank you i am indeed. we're getting reaction through the evening to that grass roots. let's go live to sale in greater manchester where reeta chakra barti is at a meeting of the conservatives club. yes, on conversation tonight is the ballot going on, people of course checking their phones and social media to see if there's any result, i think there is by and large support for theresa may to continue as leader, here amongst everyone tonight. it's not unanimous but by and large you do hope she'll continue. angela stone you're a candidate here in sale, and you're

hoping that theresa may will pull this off tonight, you've been speaking to people out and about today what are they saying about what's going on? i've been out today and people are confused as to what and people are confused as to what and why they put letters in at this time because they think it's wrong. people by and large as a ward we voted romaine, but what we found was people are talking about the fact that they've accepted that now and they want to move on and get a result and what they are seeing is that theresa may is a person to do that, that she should be supported tonight. you say move on and get a result, but she was precisely unable to move on and get a result because she could get the deal to the comments. that something that will come onto, but to actually do that and what's happened today is stopping that from happening so it's put a stopping that from happening so it's puta in stopping that from happening so it's put a in the works as far as i've heard, they want things to settle

down and go through. trevor stone what's your opinion?” down and go through. trevor stone what's your opinion? i think we started in a position where the country is divided which is why we had a referendum in a first place, theresa may i think to her credit has tried to take into account the views of the 16 million who voted to remain as well 70 million who wanted to leave. that's the compromise, and the outcome of that is that we finished in a situation where we are with the deal that doesn't satisfy anyone. do think she made a tactical mistake in the beginning by appearing to be unwilling to compromise and then it has since been go back? she could've been harder in the beginning, she said at the beginning no deal is better than a bad deal or perhaps i was the wrong thing to do early on but we finish where you are and i think everyone has to get behind the deal as it is. the other thing to consider is the fact that there is no one standing there who is she

lost tonight, could actually take over and unite the party by definition they on one side or the other, and that would be inevitably ha rd other, and that would be inevitably hard in view, and the country more divided. your leader of the group here, would you want to see happen tonight? i want to see mps back and win the vote of confidence and i think she's made possible the last two years she's really trying to look at people voted to remain and why they voted to leave, and to say to collects tonight she winds by more than 452% they cannot quibble the legitimacy they have to be be behind there and i hope she winds and we are able to execute on it deal the business to support and try to do the right thing both for levers and remainders so we can get on with governing the country and it way we know we can do so well and hopefully talk about something else other than brexit, which i think it'll be a nice thing for us to do.

do you agree with angela that there is some dismay out in the country at what the conservative party appears to do itself over brexit?” what the conservative party appears to do itself over brexit? i think what they're doing is trying to deal with it and manage it in a divided country, and to bring the country together in a way that i think we are trying to do a good job of doing hopefully it can only be a good thing. thank you very much indeed, eve ryo ne thing. thank you very much indeed, everyone waiting for the result and we will bring you more reaction when we will bring you more reaction when we have it. rita, thank you very much interesting to hear the thoughts there, let's show you the live of committee room 13 and 14 across the road where the vote is being counted, we are expecting the result to be known in the course of the next half hour. the prime minister who voted a time ago has returned to downing street she will sit and wait for a phone call from the chair of the 1922 committee, and we will bring it back on a bbc news

special which will be hosted by my colleague andrew neil, which starts now. for british politics, as conservative mps vote on the future of prime minister theresa may. she's fighting to stay in herjob to deliver her brexit deal. but there are tories who want her to go now, and for a different leader to deliver a different deal. tonight, the fate of the prime minister is in the hands of her 0wn mps. we'll be live in parliament for the result. good evening and welcome to this bbc news special on theresa may's fight to stay as leader of the conservative party and prime minister of the united kingdom.