Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

There is growing confidence in Team May that they can win this.

Every key member of the Cabinet has declared support for the prime minister and the BBC has calculated that around 172 MPs have issued public statements of support.

It is a secret ballot so they may say one thing publicly and vote another way in private, but Mrs May had one of her better PMQs and she gets to address Tory MPs minutes before they vote.

Her opponents remain divided over who should run against her.

Image source, PA

The deputy leader of Sinn Fein calls for the Irish government to "remain firm" on the border backstop despite the "debacle" at Westminster.

Michelle O'Neill says: "It is about making sure the backstop is the only show in town, it is the bottom line, it is the insurance policy."

Mrs O'Neill says the leadership challenge against Mrs May is the latest twist in a "civil war" engulfing the Conservative Party.

"Regardless of what goes on at Westminster the backstop has to be firm, it has to be a commitment, it has to be something that everything stands by," she says.

Image source, PA

A Conservative Party donor has released a statement saying replacing Theresa May would be good for firms across the UK.

Alexander Temerko, who works in the energy sector, says: "The news of a new prime minister would definitely be good news for British business.

"A new prime minister would have at least some chance of making progress on Brexit.

"Mrs May has exhausted all her options and her staying in power is just creating more uncertainty for our economy."

He adds: “Mrs May’s Brexit deal is frankly abysmal for any business that isn’t an SME [small and medium enterprise], because it only offers up to two years of relative certainty.

"Big and medium-sized business needs a robust guarantee to plan for the long term, not the myopic declaration we’re currently being sold.”

Image source, Reuters

Leo Varadkar says he still believes the withdrawal agreement will be ratified by London and the European Parliament - and it cannot be changed.

Speaking in the Irish parliament, the taoiseach said: "We have a meeting with the European Council on Thursday and Friday, and will have an opportunity to engage with Prime Minister May and an opportunity to speak with my colleagues.

"I'll be taking a call with President Juncker later on today to see what assurances we can give the UK Parliament that might assist them to ratify the withdrawal agreement.

"However, that cannot be a change in the substance of that agreement including the substance of the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. But that is what we are going to work towards."

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Parliament

So Prime Minister's Questions is now over, and shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry is now asking an urgent question on the Institute for Statecraft's Integrity Initiative.

Home Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan is giving a statement in response.

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Parliament

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Vince Cable asks the prime minister if it is "more welcome" to to receive a no confidence motion from her own MPs as party leader or one from the opposition about her performance as prime minister.

Theresa May says "obviously we have one of those which is going to take place", but the government has "a solemn duty to deliver on the referendum of 2016... and the best way of doing that is with a good deal, and this is the deal that we have negotiated".

Tory MP Simon Hoare says the DUP do not hold a "blackmail chip" over the Conservative Party.

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Parliament

Image source, Hoc

Labour MP Rachael Maskell says the "self serving chaos of this week is emblematic of the way the government has consistently treated this country".

Ms Maskell says the pound has fallen 2% in the last 48 hours, "her budget equivalent of funding the NHS for the next six weeks", and questions whether this is a price worth paying for the current proposed Brexit deal

Theresa May says "it is this government that is committed to investing in the NHS now and in the future".

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Parliament

Image source, HoC

Green Caroline Lucas says that any new leader will see the same Parliamentary arithmetic. She asks what the PM is afraid of by not calling a new referendum.

Mrs May says the Commons decided to give the choice of leaving the EU to the public.

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Parliament

Image source, HOC

Jim McMahon says that in 1997, the British prime minister issued an apology to the Irish people for the historic role in the Great Famine.

He asks for the PM to condemn any suggestion food shortages would be used to strengthen Britain's hand in Brexit negotiations.

Tory MP Priti Patel has been criticised for suggesting an economic impact of a no-deal Brexit on the Republic of Ireland could encourage the EU to drop the backstop.

Theresa May says she is happy to "absolutely give that assurance".

The UK would not use that issue in any sense in the negotiating strategy, she says.

"We want to deliver a good Brexit for the UK and a good Brexit for Ireland", she says

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Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative Neil O'Brien says he has messages from his constituents this morning which are supporting Theresa May. He says these constituents see Jeremy Corbyn as a bigger threat. He asks if she agrees.

"Yes," she replies.

Brexit is top of the agenda for the last European Council meeting of the year, taking place on Thursday and Friday.

In his letter, the president of the European Council writes: "Given the seriousness of the situation in the UK, let me start with Brexit. The intention is that we will listen to the UK Prime Minister's assessment, and later, we will meet at 27 to discuss the matter and adopt relevant conclusions. As time is running out, we will also discuss the state of preparations for a no-deal scenario".