Conservative ministers plan leadership challenge to May

Furious Tory junior ministers have threatened to resign in order to spark a leadership challenge to Prime Minister Theresa May.

A government source, according to the Sun newspaper, said: “Selfish cabinet ministers are simply putting their own ambition before the country — it’s self-indulgence and there is going to be backlash.”

Members of the government were claiming that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and his cabinet colleagues were taking advantage of May's weakened position post-election to push the PM around "like a rag doll" to serve their own "self-indulgent" ends.

One senior minister also told newspaper they were "considering resigning to spark a challenge before the party’s annual gathering scheduled to open in Manchester in three months time".

Talks accelerated between junior ministers, who want to see May stand aside within months to allow the party to rebuild its reputation after a bruising election campaign, thanks partially to the rift over public sector pay over the weekend.