May survives attempt to change no-confidence rules

UK Prime Minister Theresa May escaped another attempt to unseat her after Conservative powerbrokers voted against a change in party rules that would have opened the door to a fresh challenge to her leadership.

However, her reprieve was short-lived as furious pro-Brexit MPs demanded a clear timetable for her departure. They are apoplectic over May's failure to deliver a departure from the European Union by the end of March, with the date extended to October 31.

Graham Brady, chair of the party's powerful 1922 committee, which represents backbench MPs, said the group had asked May for “clarity” around her future as speculation grew in Westminster that she would attempt to get her thrice-defeated Withdrawal Agreement through parliament again.

“Following the prime minister’s decision to set out a schedule for her departure as leader of the party should the withdrawal agreement pass, we seek similar clarity from her in other circumstances,” Brady said after a meeting of the committee on Wednesday.

“We should have a clear roadmap forward.”

In later remarks to ITV news when asked if there were any ciorcumstances under which May could still be leader by the end of the year, Brady said he thought it would be “a surprising response”.

“But we have communicated our request, which is in very clear terms, for proper clarity about her plans for departure should the Withdrawal Agreement not be approved.”

“We need to hear her response to that and colleagues will of course form their own judgment when they receive that response.”

May's premiership survived last December when she fended off a no-confidence vote. Under party rules she cannot be challenged for a year, but disgruntled MPs tried to get the rules changed so they could oust her now.

She had already pledged to go if the Withdrawal Agreement was passed by MPs.