The post you are reporting:
Courtesy of the Times. (The vultures are circling)
Boris Johnson has told allies to expect Theresa May to resign on Wednesday as leadership candidates scramble for position. Tory MPs yesterday reported “febrile” communications from those jockeying for position ahead of a contest many now expect imminently. Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, is believed to be making a pitch as the candidate to deliver a “managed no-deal” exit. “He’s saying ‘you know what, no deal is not ideal but at the end of the day it would be fine,’ ” said a senior Tory on the right of the party.
Sajid Javid, the home secretary, is making clear that he could not support a no-deal exit, saying that those who believe it would be an acceptable outcome are “deluded”. Both were absent from a meeting of supportive cabinet ministers called into Downing Street on Thursday to discuss the vote.
The hard Brexit wing of the Tory party, led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, is determined to field a single candidate but cannot agree between Mr Johnson and Dominic Raab.
Some Conservative MPs, meanwhile, expect Amber Rudd and Michael Gove to pair up on a ticket that will appeal to the party to unite around a “Norway then Canada” Brexit. Mrs May survived an attempted coup led by Mr Rees-Mogg last month when 24 Tory MPs declared that they had lost confidence in her. That is half the number needed to trigger a ballot but the overall tally can include confidential letters submitted to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee.
The prime minister has previously said she would contest a party vote of no confidence. If she won, she would be safe from another challenge for a year. Fear of failure has thus far stayed the hand of many mutinous Tories but a crushing Commons defeat next week will lead many to recalculate the risks.
