Brexit in chaos as Tory MPs trigger vote of no confidence in May

[Denzil_DC]

10. This is an internal Tory Party vote of no confidence in May.

It shouldn't be confused with a no confidence vote involving the whole of Parliament, which could pan out as triggering an election.

If May loses this evening's vote, whoever wins the ensuing Tory leadership contest (which could take quite a while if there are a number of candidates) in theory becomes prime minister.

I say "in theory" because it depends on whether a vote of no confidence in Parliament takes place and is carried while the Tory leadership contest is under way, which would trigger the search for a new government of whatever coalition could be cobbled together from existing MPs, and if that failed, a general election.

This is unlikely (I doubt Labour wants to take over at the moment, for instance), but it could happen.