Why Is It 48 ?

[Canary42]

How is the number 48 derived for the number of backstabbing letters necessary to trigger a no confidence vote?

Is it related to the number of MPs in that party ?

[jim360]

yes, 15% of the Parliamentary Party.

[ABerrant]

Party rules dictate that 15 per cent of MPs - in this case 48 - must submit their withdrawal of support for the leader in writing to the 1922 Committee chairman for a no-confidence motion to be triggered.

[Davemano]

Yes, 15% of the party.

[Jackdaw33]

These are the rules of the Tory party. They don't apply to any other party.

[Canary42]

Thank you everyone.

[Gromit]

It feels like an age the time it has taken to reach 48 letters (if indeed they now have 48).
But to remove May will take 3 times that number of Tory MPs to vote against her.

That is not going to happen. And another vote of no confidence then cannot happen for another 12 months.

It is shocking that at this most crucial time for our country in 50 years, the Conservative Party is busy playing nonsensical games.

[Old_Geezer]

Removing the one pushing for greater union with the EU when the country decided out, is hardly a game. For sure it needs more with the courage to realise her removal is good for both party and nation, and vote for it; but after the deal (non) vote fiasco there has to be a chance enough opt to do what needs to be done.

[Jackdaw33]

If a leadership election were called May would most likely not stand, and if she did she would almost certainly lose.

[grumpy01]

And who is going to get us a better deal? Bojo,JRM or comrade Corbyn,I don't think so.

[grumpy01]

She couldn't stand Jackdaw.

[murraymints]

now is NOT the time to further destabilize the nation.... leave her be...

[emmie]

best to stay with what we have for the moment i fear. Minty is right a leadership challenge might well blow up in our faces.

[Old_Geezer]

We already have a better deal. No deal is better than a bad deal. Bojo, JRM or various others would all be better advocates of the right way forward.

[Jackdaw33]

People talk about Johnson, JRM et al but forget about Leadsom who came second last time. I don't know much about her and I've never heard her speak but she has got to be an improvement on May. She also has the advantage of being firmly committed to Brexit.

[dannyk13]

May will face the no confidence vote between 6pm and 7pm tonight.

[grumpy01]

Sir Graham Brady says the vote is between 6 and 8 tonight with the result asap after that.

[AuntLydia]

At the moment there are 330 Cons. Seats. With May having to achieve 50% of the vote to remain, she needs 165 or more positive votes . Calculating that at least 48 of the house will vote against her (those who wrote the letters of no confidence) then surely there needs only to be another 118 votes against, to trigger a leadership contest. I think she will go -unless she resigns this morning but I wouldn't put money on that happening.

[tamborine]

backstabbers beware the tsunami of immigrants to UK via EU.

[dannyk13]

She is to make an announcement later this morning.

[Old_Geezer]

Made the announcement. Same old nonsense, but as expected, determined to fight.