Theresa May must quit TODAY, top Tory warns as party bosses meet to decide her fate
Leading backbencher Nigel Evans said the PM will have to be forced out if she refuses to step down immediately
THERESA May must quit TODAY, a leading Tory has warned.
Party chiefs are meeting tonight to decide the PM's fate amid mounting anger from backbenchers.
MPs have apparently returned from the Easter break with a new determination to unseat Mrs May as soon as possible.
This morning Mr Evans, a key member of the powerful 1922 Committee which governs the party, said the leader should resign today.
He told the BBC: "To be honest I would be delighted if she announced today she was announcing her resignation and we could then have an orderly election to choose a new leader of the Conservative party.
"I believe the only way we're going to break this impasse properly is if we have fresh leadership of the Conservative party.
"If there was an announcement today by the Prime Minister then of course we could start the process straight away."
She should now go as quickly as possible
Nigel Evans
The 1922 Committee's executive will meet this evening to discuss whether they should move to force Mrs May out.
Chairman Sir Graham Brady may ask the PM to step down - or change party rules to allow another no-confidence vote in her leadership.
Mr Evans told talkRADIO: "My recommendation will be that we should say to the Prime Minister that she should now go as quickly as possible.
"If she refuses to do so, then we should either change the rules or at least have indicative votes."
Under current rules, Mrs May can't face a formal challenge until December after seeing off the last attempt to unseat her.
One proposal would see the time limit reduced to six months - meaning MPs could trigger a fresh no-confidence motion in mid-June.
Alternatively, the party could hold a non-binding vote on Mrs May's future, further increasing the pressure on her if she loses.
Prisons Minister Rory Stewart defended the PM today, saying: "The problem is not the Prime Minister, the problem is Brexit. I think she is doing a very, very important job and she needs to get the first stage of Brexit done."
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