Theresa May no-confidence vote: Supporters and opponents

UK Prime Minister Theresa May is facing a vote of no-confidence after 48 MPs from her Conservative Party wrote letters demanding she step aside. As she races to gather support ahead of the vote, who can she count on, and who will be trying to vote her out?

"… the Prime Minister is the blockage to the wide-ranging Free Trade Agreement… which would be in the interests of the country." Former Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has attacked the Brexit deal and argued the UK should not stay in a customs union with the EU. He published his letter calling for a vote of no-confidence on Twitter Wednesday morning.

"The PM has my full support." Amber Rudd resigned as Home Secretary over a wrongful deportation scandal in April 2018, but returned to the UK cabinet in November as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. She is a remainer and an ally of Theresa May and was quick to Tweet her support. However, some also regard her as a possible successor.

"The country needs a new leader, it is time for Mrs May to resign." The Conservative MP for North East Somerset is the leader of the Brexit-backing European Research Group (ERG). He has been highly critical of the Brexit deal negotiated by May's government and the EU. Rees-Mogg first encouraged Conservative Party colleagues to force a leadership election at the end of November.

"Removing Theresa May at this most critical of times is grossly irresponsible." Anna Soubry, Conservative MP for Broxtowe, has been a thorn in the Prime Minister's side as an outspoken critic of Brexit and an advocate for second referendum. But Soubry dislikes Rees-Mogg's ERG even more and branded them "an embarrassment" for trying to unseat May.

"What I would say to my colleagues is: you now face the certainty of failure with Theresa May, you must be brave and make the right decision to change prime minister..." Baker, Conservative MP for Wycombe, is a hard-Brexit campaigner and former head of the ERG. Along with Rees-Mogg, he was highly dissatisfied with the deal and had been pushing for colleagues to remove May has party leader.

"The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong." Home Secretary Sajid Javid was another cabinet member quick to voice their support for Theresa May. He said a leadership contest would delay the UK leaving the EU. He is also rumored to be putting together a leadership bid.

"It is time that we had a new leader to save Brexit, and unite our country." Pro-Brexit backbench Conservative MP for Morley and Outwood Andrea Jenkyns is regular critic of Theresa May, perceiving her Brexit negotiating strategy to be too soft. She complained on Twitter Conservative Party whips were asking MPs to back the Prime Minister, demanding that they stay "neutral" for the "party matter."

"I hope Conservative MPs will back the PM in the vote today." Theresa May's predecessor David Cameron has tried to remain out of the spotlight since his resignation after the June 2016 referendum. However, he tweeted his support for the Prime Minister on Tuesday, arguing the UK needs "no distractions" from the Brexit deal, which is supposed to be finalized by the end of March.