Brexit: Conservative leadership rivals circle Theresa May ahead of expected defeat in crunch Commons vote

A string of ex-cabinet ministers signalled a willingness to run for the top job if Ms May's leadership collapses this week

Theresa May is set for the bleakest week of her time in power after leadership rivals publicly positioned themselves to grab the Tory crown if her Brexit plans collapse.

Ex-cabinet ministers Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab and Esther McVey all signalled a willingness to bid for the leadership amid speculation that Ms May faces a heavy defeat in the crunch Commons vote on her proposed Brexit deal.

More resignations were expected from the front bench in the run-up to the vote, with government insiders indicating it could still be delayed.

If she survives the first half of the week, Ms May is expected to head to Brussels where she will implore the EU to offer a concession on the hated “Irish backstop” so that she can try to sell the deal to Tory rebels one last time.

The prime minister spoke to president of the European Council Donald Tusk on Sunday, who said afterwards that it would be “an important week for the fate of Brexit”.

In London thousands of protestors waving union jacks joined a “Brexit betrayal” march sponsored by Ukip and addressed by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, while even more were said to have turned up to an anti-fascist counter-march.

The febrile atmosphere as the week starts is only set to intensify as MPs return to Westminster on Monday, with talk of Conservative plots and leadership challenges filling the air.

One Tory backbencher told The Independent: “No one knows if the prime minister is still going to be in Downing Street at the end of the week.

“If she delays the vote, they might try and bring her down. If she loses heavily, they might try and bring her down. She is almost out of options.”

Former cabinet ministers from the Brexiteer wing of the party did little to dampen speculation of a potential contest as one by one they indicated a willingness to be party leader.

Boris Johnson, who has long coveted the top job, failed to exclude the possibility of standing against the prime minister in a potential contest during an interview on Sunday.

He said people do not want to hear about “leadership elections and personalities” right now, but said he would take “personal responsibility” for jobs lost if Britain pursued his Brexit plan instead of Ms May’s.

Sporting a well-groomed haircut that contrasted with his trademark ruffled look, he dismissed as “nonsense” reports that he had already offered ministerial jobs to MP colleagues in return for support.

Asked if he would rule out standing against Ms May, he responded: “I will give you an absolute categorical promise that I will continue to advocate what I think is the most sensible plan.

“I’m going to offer you the most sensible plan to get out of this mess.”

Earlier in the day ex-pensions secretary Ms McVey said she would support the PM if she went back to Brussels and renegotiated the deal, in particular the Irish backstop and the £39bn “divorce bill” that comprise part of the current withdrawal agreement.

Asked if she would rule out running herself, she went on: “If people asked me then of course I should say, of course I should give it serious concern and do it – if people asked me.

“But at the moment I’m looking at who is in the papers, who can we get behind, but it shouldn’t be about the personality, it should be about the country.”

In an interview broadcast shortly after Ms McVey’s, Mr Raab was also asked if he would rule himself out for a run at the top job.

The former Brexit secretary said: “I’ve always said I wouldn’t rule it out, but I’m just not going to get sucked into that debate.

“The public and people watching this show would think it would be very self-indulgent to be engaging in that speculation.”

He would not comment when asked if he would stand aside for fellow Brexiteer Mr Johnson to run for the leadership.

Earlier in the weekend, May ally Amber Rudd appeared to pre-empt the result of Tuesday’s vote on the PM’s plans by saying she would back a Norway-style settlement for the UK.

The pensions secretary, from the more liberal wing of the party, drew attention to her own leadership credentials by launching a searing attack on the Brexiteer wing of the party, whose champions she said “flounce out a lot”.

The intense strain that Brexit is putting on the wider Conservative party also began to show with one minister accepting some MPs may quit in the days ahead.

“I think one or two people might leave, I don’t know who they will be,” Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics.

“They might decide to retire or they might decide to abandon the party whip, that has happened before.”

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve also suggested that his party could split over Brexit.

Tory MP Will Quince quit as a ministerial aide to defence secretary Gavin Williamson, while the Sunday Telegraph reported another aide was on the verge and cabinet Brexiteer Penny Mordaunt was also considering her position.

Responding to speculation that Ms May could delay Tuesday’s vote to secure fresh concessions from Brussels or win over wavering MPs, Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay insisted it would go ahead as planned.

But another cabinet source told The Independent the picture was less clear, and that the silence from Downing Street on the issue was “deafening”.

Ms May’s call with Mr Tusk only became public when the European politician tweeted about it, saying: “I had a phone call with PM [Theresa May]. It will be an important week for the fate of Brexit.”

Labour is considering its options if Ms May is defeated and would hold talks with other opposition parties about how to proceed.

The party wants a general election, but shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett said Jeremy Corbyn would be prepared to lead a minority government this week.