the prime minister fights for survival, as more conservative mps openly call for her to go. in the last hour, the most senior conservative backbencher, sir graham brady, has been seen walking into downing street to meet the prime minister. the prime minister invited sir graham in tojudge the prime minister invited sir graham in to judge the mood the prime minister invited sir graham in tojudge the mood in her party. it is bleak with an increasing number of mps saying liz truss has to go. one tory mp says liz truss has only hours to stabilise her government, and even a cabinet minister could not say categorically she will lead her party into the next election. that's what we will be working towards, and we hope that we will be able to do that whilst delivering so that the british people understand exactly why it's important to support the conservative agenda.

you hope but you don't believe? i'm a politician. i'm all about delivery. the noes habit... last night, the prime ministerfaced an open revolt by some of her own mps in the commons and claims several were bullied and manhandled in the lobbies by ministers. this cannot continue. britain deserves better. britain cannot afford the chaos of the conservatives any more. we need a general election now. at the last count, 13 conservative mps have now openly called for liz truss to stand down — one says her position is untenable. also this lunchtime... it's not perfect, but it is better if government has the guts to make it law. if it had been in place

when i was a schoolchild, then the abuse that we suffered might not have happened. a warning that the decline in the traditional relationship between family doctors and their patients in england and coming up on the bbc news channel... manchester united's ronaldo will be spoken to today by manager erik ten hag, after the striker left old trafford before full—time last night. good afternoon. the prime minister is fighting for her political survival after a chaotic 2a hours,

which saw her home secretary resign and an open revolt in the commons. one tory mp says liz truss has only a matter of hours to stabilise her government. last night, ministers were accused of manhandling and bullying colleagues to make them support the government in a key vote on fracking. this is the scene live now in downing street where, in the last hour, the prime minister has been meeting the most senior conservative backbencher, sir graham brady, the influential chair of the 1922 committee. the bbc understands it is a meeting that liz truss requested. our political correspondent, jonathan blake, has the latest. calm on the outside, at least, in downing street this morning after a give us your assessment of how much trouble liz truss as then.

with this —— will to speed up the process? the most conservatives it is not a question. if liz truss has to go, it is not if, it is when. she is a survivor. _ to go, it is not if, it is when. she is a survivor, in _ to go, it is not if, it is when. she is a survivor, in all _ to go, it is not if, it is when. she is a survivor, in all the cabinet since david cameron was prime minister. as prime minister now, herself, she is very exposed at the top of the party. herself, she is very exposed at the tap of the party-— top of the party. there is only one reason, top of the party. there is only one reason. why _ top of the party. there is only one reason, why she _ top of the party. there is only one reason, why she is _ top of the party. there is only one reason, why she is still _ top of the party. there is only one reason, why she is still in - top of the party. there is only one | reason, why she is still in downing street, because the conservative party is so battered, bruised, divided, they can't agree on who to replace her with. the majority of conservatives think that she is an utter disaster now.

you are corresponding for the bbc world service. sir graham brady will be thinking about the reputation of the party in the uk, have you any sense of what other countries, other governments are thinking of the situation as they watch it unfold? we have a clear sense of what they say, what their media says. until a few years ago, the view of the uk around the world, particularly amongst its allies is that it was one of the more sane, more reasonable countries in europe. it was probably making a better fist

of moving into a post—industrial country. going from a white only country. going from a white only country to multinational. and the rest of the world now looks at great britain, what happened to cool britannia, same britannia? looks crazy. that is affecting things like foreign investment in this country, whether people want to set up businesses here, and in the boardrooms of the world, they are scratching their heads and thinking, this isn't the britain that we thought we knew. 50 this isn't the britain that we thought we knew.— this isn't the britain that we thought we knew. this isn't the britain that we thou~ht we knew. ~ thought we knew. so you think you can ut it thought we knew. so you think you can put it as _ thought we knew. so you think you can put it as strongly _ thought we knew. so you think you can put it as strongly as _ thought we knew. so you think you can put it as strongly as saying - thought we knew. so you think you can put it as strongly as saying it . can put it as strongly as saying it is affecting growth, what liz truss came to power on a platform of, creating tax cuts to create growth. it is the official government figures suggest that investment since the referendum is down in the uk compared to other european competitors. to uk compared to other european competitors-_ uk compared to other european com etitors. ., ., , competitors. to remind our viewers that inside downing _

competitors. to remind our viewers that inside downing street - competitors. to remind our viewers that inside downing street at - competitors. to remind our viewers that inside downing street at the i that inside downing street at the moment, that meeting still going on as we understand that between sir graham brady, the chairman of the i922 graham brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee, the committee of backbenchers who run the leadership contest for the conservative party. we understand that was called by liz truss rather than by sir graham. the two to have regular meetings. in the current climate is, it takes on a much wider significance, much greater significance. to much wider significance, much greater significance. to capture the chase, greater significance. to capture the chase. there _ greater significance. to capture the chase, there are _ greater significance. to capture the chase, there are only _ greater significance. to capture the chase, there are only two - greater significance. to capture the chase, there are only two possiblel chase, there are only two possible outcomes of this meeting. the one is, liz truss and graham brady have said goodness gracious, this can't go on, i need to resign or you need to resign, what is the process? that is one possible option. the other option is that liz truss has been asking graham brady is there any chance of me surviving? in order to

survive what i need to do? it doesn't matter who called the meeting, are they agreeing that she needs to resign or are they looking at any possible way of her surviving?— at any possible way of her surviving? at any possible way of her survivinu? ~ . ~ , ., , at any possible way of her survivinu? ., ~ , . , ., surviving? we are keeping an eye on the doors of — surviving? we are keeping an eye on the doors of downing _ surviving? we are keeping an eye on the doors of downing street, - surviving? we are keeping an eye on the doors of downing street, both i the doors of downing street, both the doors of downing street, both the front and back door of number ten, sir graham went in via the back door earlier. they have been talking for the best part an hour if my calculations are correct. a pretty intense conversation, whichever of those two scenarios it is. do you think there is any world in which liz truss can turn this around? any scenario that she can turn this around? ., , ., scenario that she can turn this around? .,, ., ,., , , , around? the opinion polling suggests not. the around? the opinion polling suggests not- the history _ around? the opinion polling suggests not. the history of _ around? the opinion polling suggests not. the history of opinion _ around? the opinion polling suggests not. the history of opinion polling - not. the history of opinion polling suggests that no one has recovered from the sort of levels of unpopularity that liz truss has. all i can tell you is the majority view in the conservative party is that

this is like a boxer on the floor, the county is nine and it is not looking good because the other person in the ring looks fearsome. given everything that has happened in the last few years, it would be insane to make any form of prediction. she might hang on. what i'm telling is that the sentiment in westminster and the governing conservative party is that she is damaged beyond all repair and that was true last friday, never mind today. was true last friday, never mind toda . ~ ., was true last friday, never mind toda . ~ . ., ., was true last friday, never mind toda . ~ . . ., , today. we are hearing that is another conservative - today. we are hearing that is another conservative mp - today. we are hearing that is another conservative mp hasj today. we are hearing that is - another conservative mp has said she has submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister. this isjoe mortimer, the mp for hartlepool. she is one of the newer mps in the conservative party. she has posted on facebook that she has handed in that letter of no confidence. interesting as well that she is the mp for hartlepool in the

north—east of england. it is an area where the conservative party in the last general election under boris johnson won a lot of seats, those red bull seats as they were called. pretty interesting that this was the latest mp to say that she no longer has confidence in the prime minister. i think that is 1a now we are at. just try to keep track of the numbers. it is highly probable that moore had privately sent in those letters of no confidence. we can say that from previous times when leaderships have changed, and we note that's they privately put in those letters, a lot more of them do it privately then admitted publicly. no one would be in any doubt, you don't need a political corresponded to tell you that position is perilous. a lot of our viewers, both here and around the world, would

have a conservative yesterday, charles walker, gave an impassioned attack on his own government, on liz truss, on the kind of people in her cabinets. he is a highly respected, highly like the person in the governing conservative party and i suspect that when he said what he said a lot of his colleagues to sit on those benches were thinking, my goodness, charles is telling it like it is. b, goodness, charles is telling it like it is. �* , goodness, charles is telling it like itis. �* , ., it is. a couple of them retweeted him and said _ it is. a couple of them retweeted him and said we _ it is. a couple of them retweeted him and said we are _ it is. a couple of them retweeted him and said we are all _ it is. a couple of them retweeted him and said we are all charles i him and said we are all charles walker this evening. what he said clearly resonated with them. {line clearly resonated with them. one can't overstate _ clearly resonated with them. one can't overstate the _ clearly resonated with them. que: can't overstate the depth clearly resonated with them. iez can't overstate the depth of clearly resonated with them. i2 can't overstate the depth of this crisis for the governing conservative party. i described it as being a collective nervous breakdown. none of them want to lose power. most of them mean well. politicians by and large do tend to

mean well. they want to do the best for their country. the conservative party are so utterly split into different factions on what doing well for the country should mean, people on the nationalist right, the economic right, people who are more centrist. over all the shenanigans of the last six years ago, the fights over borisjohnson, these people are human beings and there is a lot of vendetta out there, it desire for vengeance, a lot of angen desire for vengeance, a lot of anger, a lot of emotion. that is why even some people in the conservative party will tell you, we are getting close to being ungovernable. that has been reflected, _ close to being ungovernable. that has been reflected, that desire for unity or else they are out of power. that has been reflected by a number of mps, one tweeting earlier that this is the last chance. in of mps, one tweeting earlier that this is the last chance.— this is the last chance. in many wa s, this is the last chance. in many ways. the _ this is the last chance. in many ways, the option _

this is the last chance. in many ways, the option facing - this is the last chance. in many - ways, the option facing conservative mps has crystallised. it is quite clear. what do you consider the least worst option if you're conservative mp at this point? do you swallow whatever ideological problems you might have and agree to a candidate who might not be your choice, or do you decide ideology is more important and see the party go down? for more important and see the party go down? ., ., ., ,, , ., , down? for the moment, thank you very much. we are looking at the front door and back door of number 10 downing street. sir graham brady still in there chatting to the prime minister, liz truss, although chatting may be too cosy a word for the conversation that has been going on. we don't have any specifics of thatjust on. we don't have any specifics of that just yet. on. we don't have any specifics of thatjust yet. let me bring in more detail of that latest mp who has said she has submitted a letter of no confidence to the 1922 committee. that is jill no confidence to the 1922 committee. that isjill mortimer, the mp for

hartlepool. she is the 14th mp to publicly say she has sent in a letter of no confidence. she was writing yesterday, i tried to get called in by ministers questions to ask liz truss for an assurance of support for our time and our promises. sadly, iwas support for our time and our promises. sadly, i was not called and 30 diet —— the deteriorating situation throughout the day left me with no choice but to submit a letter of no confidence to sir graham brady. she is the mp for hartlepool. one of the newer mps, one of the red bull seats that the conservatives took away from labour. she was trying to get an assurance of support she says for our town and our promises. the party will be very, very aware that in a cost of living crisis they will want to be trying to hold on to all of those 80 seats that they won in the last election, that 18 majority that they had in the last election. there will

be trying to hold on to do seats, but if people in those constituents are sent to their mps they are not getting the service they want from the government, then that clearly makes it more difficult for their mps to support the leadership, the cabinet, the prime minister. so that isjill mortimer, the mp for hartlepool. let'sjust isjill mortimer, the mp for hartlepool. let's just stay with rob watson, political correspondent for bbc world service. we hope to go across to downing street shortly and find out more detail about what is taking place there, quite a lengthy meeting. i was chatting earlier to various guests that we have had on and looking at the idea that if the government is in powerfor a long time, then there is something cyclical that happens. some people have said that the government has run out of ideas. of course they say they haven't. there has been a lot

of infighting. is that something that happened —— happened cyclical for up party that has been in power for up party that has been in power for a long time?— for a long time? absolutely. it is a lot of strain _ for a long time? absolutely. it is a lot of strain being _ for a long time? absolutely. it is a lot of strain being in _ for a long time? absolutely. it is a lot of strain being in power. - for a long time? absolutely. it is a lot of strain being in power. it - lot of strain being in power. it puts on a lot of pressure. you have to make all sorts of decisions. in the uk you had tony blair in for a long time, before him margaret thatcher and john major. these things are cyclical. what is different here, more difficult for the conservatives, is the number of challenges they are facing. conservative mps, whether they support brexiter not, they will tell you this. it was a quasi revolutionary moment in this country where you tear up membership of the eu, and that has led to a lot of after—shocks. whether you are a

supporter or not. there have been lots of issues around personnel and whether boris johnson lots of issues around personnel and whether borisjohnson was lots of issues around personnel and whether boris johnson was fabulous at winning elections, as they would say it, but governing was not his speciality. they have had more challenges than most. again, it is happening against a backdrop of massive economic headwinds, the war in ukraine, the covid pandemic. we have seen nothing like that. you're dealing with the british public that is feeling very fragile. one thing i would point out. when i was a young reporter, i was doing this when margaret thatcher was around, i had a friend who was a nurse and she is to say to me, what on earth do you do all week? you must be so bored. i would tell her, what goes on at westminster is incredible. generally, people don't care too much about what is happening in

westminster. this is different. this is not an abstract, surreal debate, people are worried about the cost of their housing, their weekly shop, their housing, their weekly shop, theirjob. this is a country where politics has tipped over into the kind of things that ordinary people feel. that is one of the reasons why people like charles walker and other mps are thinking, my goodness, this is serious, this is dangerous, this is serious, this is dangerous, this is real. i is serious, this is dangerous, this is real. . , , ., is real. i was in my local high street chemist _ is real. i was in my local high street chemist a _ is real. i was in my local high street chemist a couple - is real. i was in my local high street chemist a couple of. is real. i was in my local high - street chemist a couple of weeks back and some members of staff stopped me to say there is so much news. there is. in politics alone there were so much to talk about. you mentioned the public and the polling is not good. that alone would give the party calls for huge concern, even if things were running more smoothly for liz truss, they are clearly not. i more smoothly for liz truss, they are clearly not.— are clearly not. i don't think i have ever — are clearly not. i don't think i have ever seen _ are clearly not. i don't think i have ever seen an _ are clearly not. i don't think i have ever seen an opposition are clearly not. i don't think i - have ever seen an opposition party with the kind of lead that the main

opposition labour party have over the conservatives at the moment. i'm not sure if the party had fallen in love with labour, but they have fallen out of love with the conservatives.— fallen out of love with the conservatives. ~ . ., ., conservatives. we are hearing that there is going _ conservatives. we are hearing that there is going to — conservatives. we are hearing that there is going to be _ conservatives. we are hearing that there is going to be a _ conservatives. we are hearing that there is going to be a downing - there is going to be a downing street statement at 1:30pm. we don't know anything more than that. we have just been told that there will be a statement in downing street at 1:30pm. so, injust overten minutes. we will keep a very close eye on developments there. we have been watching the front and back doors of number ten bursar graham brady went into that meeting with the prime minister, liz truss, a little earlier. i would think about 40 little earlier. i would think about a0 minutes ago. if you don't know who he is, he is a really influential conservative backbencher, probably the most influential. the chairperson of the 1922 committee of backbenchers. they are the people who run the

leadership contests for the conservative party. you will remember over the summer during the leadership contest, it eventually got down to liz truss and rishi sunak. as each of the rounds of voting took place, standing flanked with the deputy chairs of the 1922 committee, it was he who read out the results. charles walker mp, who last night gave a really impassioned interview to the bbc saying he was livid at the situation that had unfolded in parliaments around that fracking votes where mps had been told earlier in the day it was effectively a vote of confidence in the prime minister. later they were told it was not a vote of confidence and they were subsequently told it was. it was said he was livid at the

situation. he said he believed that graham brady would deal with the chaos as he sought. anyone's estimation, but the estimation of most conservatives, the scenes last night were chaos. there seem to be a real breakdown of discipline in the party around that votes, and in the communication to mp5, many of them really angry at that statement in the early hours of today from number ten, saying that those who didn't vote with the government would be subject to disciplinary procedure. as you can see on your screens, a lack turn is being brought out in front of downing street. it has been less than two months since liz truss stood in front of that lack turn on the day that she became leader of the day that she became leader of the party. we don't know what will be said, but we will find out very soon, in about nine minutes. we have

heard in the last couple of minutes that there is going to be a statement made in downing street at 1:30pm. to stay with us on bbc news. the news that the prime minister is to make a statement at downing street in the next few minutes. it comes after our meeting, which may still be going on, with the chairman of the 1922 committee of backbenchers. of course, the other thing to add about sir graham, it is to him that mps who are unhappy with the prime minister send their letters of no confidence. he always plays his cards close to his chest when he is asked how many letters of no confidence he has. we have that situation with borisjohnson just

no confidence he has. we have that situation with boris johnson just a few months situation with borisjohnson just a few months ago. he tends not to say until he gets to critical mass, until he gets to critical mass, until a number of letters were he determines that action must be taken. we know that 13 mps have openly said they want the prime minister to go. we can assume they have handed in letters of no confidence. it is very probable that many others will privately have sent in their letters of no confidence, as well. just as we reflect on these fast—moving events at downing street, the rules as they stand for the 1922 committee said that a prime minister who wasjust the 1922 committee said that a prime minister who was just elected a matter of weeks ago can be subject to any kind of folk to kick him and her out. we know that the committee can change the usual really quickly. rules are made to be broken, right? maybe i shouldn't be saying that on

television! certainly in terms of the conservative party. if the conservative party wants to get rid of liz truss into somebody else, they will. the big issue is who they would replace her with. they will find a mechanism.— find a mechanism. another conservative _ find a mechanism. another conservative mp, - find a mechanism. another conservative mp, this - find a mechanism. another conservative mp, this is i find a mechanism. another conservative mp, this is 15| find a mechanism. another- conservative mp, this is 15 openly calling for the prime minister to 90, calling for the prime minister to go, this is rick edwards, and a letter published on the conservative home website, she says it is not responsible for the party to allow liz truss to remain in power. not responsible, says ruth edwards, for the party to allow liz truss to remain in power. in this letter she has also urged the prime minister to step aside, to go and that someone who is up to the task take on the great privilege and responsibility of leading our great country and party. the words are ruth edwards, the conservative mp for rushcliffe,

who is now the 15th mp to publicly call on the prime minister to go. those sorts of words, like you heard from charles walker last night, let me have just heard from ruth edwards, really difficult to... it is not responsible to allow us data to stay in power, step aside and let somebody who is up to the task to do it. difficult words for anyone to hear, but clearly conservative mps, a growing number of them, feel these words need to be spoken. you a growing number of them, feel these words need to be spoken.— words need to be spoken. you can't help feeling — words need to be spoken. you can't help feeling that _ words need to be spoken. you can't help feeling that attacks _ words need to be spoken. you can't help feeling that attacks like - words need to be spoken. you can't help feeling that attacks like that i help feeling that attacks like that are not survivable. that is why, not just in the last few hours, but since friday, since the massive u—turn on her economic policy, that would always be a question of when truss would go, not if. there was too much of a sense with inside the conservative party that whatever hand she has been dealt, she will

not when them an election, she is a vote loser. it is worth reflecting on the trauma this is for the conservative party. people watching this will remember that over the summer there were these rallies, these hustings. i remember going to some of them were liz truss was chaired by party activists for her programme of a smaller state, lower taxes. the whole lot is now totally and utterly in tatters. you taxes. the whole lot is now totally and utterly in tatters.— and utterly in tatters. you talk about the _ and utterly in tatters. you talk about the trauma _ and utterly in tatters. you talk about the trauma for - and utterly in tatters. you talk about the trauma for the i and utterly in tatters. you talk| about the trauma for the party. and utterly in tatters. you talk i about the trauma for the party. lots of voices have been saying the conservatives can't afford to be soul—searching about this too much, they need to get on and govern the country. what about trauma for people, the people going through the cost of living crisis, people who want a stable government? sure. it has often been _ want a stable government? sure. it has often been said _ want a stable government? sure. it has often been said that _ want a stable government? sure. it has often been said that as - want a stable government? sure. it has often been said that as a i has often been said that as a political party you are going to have a crisis of identity, an existential crisis, if you're going to come into so much better in

opposition rather than a government because you have no room to breathe, no room to think, you have to make decisions. then of course you have that scrutiny of the public and you're absolutely right, the really striking thing in this at the moment is the stark contrast between what is the stark contrast between what is happening here at westminster and the anger of ordinary people. not a marching on the streets anger, but my goodness, what is going on, i'm struggling, kind of anger. let my goodness, what is going on, i'm struggling, kind of anger.— struggling, kind of anger. let us 'ust struggling, kind of anger. let us just remind _ struggling, kind of anger. let us just remind you _ struggling, kind of anger. let us just remind you what _ struggling, kind of anger. let us just remind you what is - struggling, kind of anger. let us just remind you what is going i struggling, kind of anger. let us just remind you what is going on here, what we are seeing is at lectern outside number 10 downing street. we are told that liz truss will be making a statement in just a few minutes. 1:30pm local time. so in three minutes by my reckoning. she has, over the best part of the last hour, been in conversation with the chairman of the 1922 committee.

that is a group of senior backbenchers in the conservative party. their chairperson, sir graham brady, runs leadership elections for the party. he is the person to whom mps who are unhappy with the leadership can sent a letter of no confidence in the prime minister if they so choose. we know in the last three minutes dated 15th mp, ruth edwards, the conservative mp for rushcliffe, has donejust edwards, the conservative mp for rushcliffe, has done just that, publicly made it clear that she wants the prime minister to go. in her letter she said it is not responsible for the party to allow liz truss to remain in power. she also urges the prime minister to step aside, go and let someone he is “p step aside, go and let someone he is up to the task, in her words, take on the great privilege and responsibility of leading our great country and party. others reflecting

their unhappiness a few minutes before that's. jill mortimer, the mp for hartlepool, also making it public that she called on the prime minister to go. she said yesterday i tried to get a call in in prime minister's questions to ask liz truss for an assurance of support for our town and promises but sadly i was not called at the deteriorating situation throughout the day left me with no choice but to submit a letter of no confidence in the prime minister to sir graham brady. so, reflecting how important it is for those more junior backbench mps, jill mortimer is one of the newer conservative mps, to feel that they are hard by the leader of the day on behalf of their constituents. she also reflects the deteriorating situation, that is clearly a reference to the vote that took place nominally about fracking,

but earlier yesterday the conservative party had said this was also going to be a vote on confidence in the prime minister and they said all conservative mps would have to vote in support of the governments. later on, they were told it wasn't a vote of no confidence, but in the early hours of today we learnt it was a vote of confidence after all. those mps, more than 30 of them who hadn't voted to support the government, would be subject to disciplinary proceedings. the case in conclusion, confusion and that, breakdown and that has really angered a lot of conservative mps, seems to bea to be a tipping point, in fact, for what is happening today in many of them saying how can we be disciplined when there was so much confusion over that evoked? that is certainly the deteriorating

situation that mpjill mortimer situation that mp jill mortimer seems situation that mpjill mortimer seems to be