Yahoo News How would a vote of no confidence in Theresa May work? Who has said they have submitted letters so far?
The future of Theresa May's leadership position has become even more uncertain as she battles to weather a chaotic week of vicious backlash to her Brexit divorce deal plans.
An ever-growing number of MPs have said they've submitted letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister and several high-profile ministers including Dominic Raab and Esther McVey quit in protest at the Brexit plans.
The embattled Prime Minister was briefing MPs in the House of Commons on the draft deal on Thursday morning amid rumours that the number of letters submitted by Tory MPs to the 1922 committee was nearing the 48 needed to trigger a confidence vote.
Mrs May is facing a battle to get the deal, which was passed by Cabinet on Wednesday night, through Parliament with Brexiteer Conservative MPs, Remainers, the Labour party and the DUP all saying they will vote down the plan. She has been accused of breaking promises and handing control back to Brussels.
But how would a vote of no confidence work?
A 'no confidence vote' takes place if the Prime Minister is no longer deemed fit to hold her role by her own MPs.
A total of 48 Tory MPs must write to the party's 1922 Committee chair Graham Brady to request a vote of confidence.
If the Prime Minister won the confidence vote, she would remain in office and be awarded immunity for a year.
If the Prime Minister loses a confidence vote, she is obliged to resign and would be barred from standing in the leadership election that follows.
Who has said they've submitted letters so far?
A total of 25 MPs have publicly said they have submitted letters of no confidence:
Andrea Jenkyns, MP for Morely and Outwood
Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire
Philip Davies, MP for Shipley
James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East
Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbot
Laurence Robertson, MP for Tewkesbury
Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP for North East Somerset
Nadine Dorries, MP for Mid Bedfordshire
Simon Clarke, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Steve Baker, MP for Wycombe and former Brexit minister
Henry Smith, MP for Crawley
Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes
Sheryll Murray, MP for South East Cornwall
Lee Rowley, MP for North East Derbyshire
Martin Vickers, MP for Cleethorpes
Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough
Adam Holloway, MP for Gravesend
Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford
John Whittingdale, MP for Maldon
Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield
Chris Green, MP for Bolton West and Atherton
Marcus Fysh, MP for Yeovil
Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston
David Jones, MP for Clwyd West and former Brexit minister
Sir Bill Cash, MP for Stone
What would happen next?
If this is the case, what is known as a two-week ‘cooling off’ period will commence.
During this time, Parliament is dissolved, although Mrs May would still remain in Downing Street.
If the Tories cannot choose a new leader and form a new Government with the support of a majority of MPs within 14 calendar days, an early General Election is triggered.
A new government could also include a cross-party allegiance and could dramatically change the government as we understand it now.
However, if an alternative government cannot be formed with a majority support, the prime minister would be forced to set a date for another general election - the second while Mrs May has been at Downing Street.
What has been said so far?
So far, the Conservative Bow Group think tank has called on Theresa May to stand down, accusing her of being unable to deliver on Brexit.
In a statement, it said: "David Cameron left office on the basis that the Brexit result needed a Brexiteer leader and a Brexit government to implement the referendum campaign promises.
"We instead got a Remain-supporting leader and a Cabinet staffed by 70% Remain supporters.
"Theresa May has demonstrated with her final deal that she has been unable to implement what the British people voted for in Brexit, it is therefore time for her to stand aside."
Members of the Brexit Advance Coalition group also advised "all Conservative MPs to now send in their letters of no confidence to the chairman of the 1922 Committee", according to the statement
