Theresa May on the brink as Cabinet ministers demand she drops her Brexit plans

Reuters

• Senior members of Theresa May's government have demanded she drop her Brexit plans as rumours spread that she could soon be forced to resign as prime minister.
• Formerly loyal Conservative MPs have turned against May following her speech on Tuesday offering to allow a vote on a second referendum.
• Growing numbers of Conservative MPs want May to quit rather than hold a fourth vote on her deal.
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LONDON - Senior members of Theresa May's Cabinet are holding urgent meetings with the prime minister on Wednesday afternoon amid intense speculation that she is on the brink of resigning.

At least four government ministers have demanded meetings with the embattled prime minister on Wednesday after Conservative MPs reacted furiously to her "new" Brexit deal, a government source told Business Insider.

They included Scottish Secretary David Mundell, Home Secretary Sajid Javid, and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, according to multiple reports.

The meetings followed her promise on Tuesday evening to give MPs a vote on staging a new Brexit referendum if they back her deal in a vote in early June.

The pledge - designed to win over pro-Remain MPs who oppose her Brexit deal in its current form - riled swathes of Conservative MPs and prompted multiple calls from formerly loyal Conservative members of parliament for her resignation.

Formerly loyal allies Tom Tugendhat and Vicky Ford were among those calling on the prime minister to quit.

Writing in the Financial Times, Tugenhadt said the party needs a "new leader" to "inject fresh energy" into the Brexit process.

Multiple Conservative party sources told Business Insider that they expect the prime minister to resign by Monday, in the immediate aftermath of the European election results.

The Conservatives are expected to finish as low as fifth and receive their lowest ever vote share in a national poll, according to pre-election polls.

The meetings with ministers come as senior Conservative backbenchers meet to discuss whether to change leadership rules to allow an early contest to replace May.

The executive of the 1922 Committee will meet the government's chief whip this afternoon to discuss their concerns.

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