Is This Labour's Path To Winning Vote Of No Confidence Against Theresa May?

12 December 2018, 11:08

Labour could be hoping that Theresa May survives the leadership contest this evening - because that could help them win their own vote of no confidence.

A Labour frontbencher told LBC's Political Editor Theo Usherwood how they could take advantage of the anger on the Tory right in a Parliamentary motion next week.

Theo told LBC: "Labour took a lot of stick yesterday for not tabling a no confidence motion in the government.

"But I've been speaking to one frontbencher who was saying that one scenario which could play out today is that Theresa May remains as Prime Minister.

"As we heard in her statement, she wants to fight this one and if the critics want to get rid of her, they're going to have to win that vote and that they have to get 159 supporters in order to have a majority within the Conservative Party.

"If they fail to do that - and that is a very real possibility - then there will be a residual anger.

"The thinking from Labour is if they wait until next week and they table that motion, they can capitalise on that residual anger among the hardcore Brexiters in the Conservative Party who are so frustrated at their failed efforts to get rid of Theresa May that they actually decide to support a Labour motion of no confidence in Theresa May.

"That's one possibility that could play out."

Yesterday, Labour MP Jenny Chapman let slip that Labour would be tabling a motion of no confidence this side of Christmas.

She told Eddie Mair: "The vote of confidence will probably come before Santa does if I can put it that way."

Before adding: "I've probably gone further there than I was intending to."