THERESA May has said she "stands ready to finish the job" she started as Prime Minister after chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady announced on Wednesday enough Tory MPs have requested a vote of no confidence in her leadership.

In a speech outside Number 10, the Prime Minster said: "Sir Graham Brady has confirmed that he has received 48 letters from Conservative MPs so there will now be a vote of confidence in my leadership of the Conservative Party.

"I will contest that vote with everything I've got.

"Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division, just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest.

"The only people whose interests would be served are Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell."

Sir Graham said a ballot would be held between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday in the Commons.

He added in a statement: "The votes will be counted immediately afterwards and the result will be announced as soon as possible in the evening."

Moments after news of the vote was announced, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt tweeted: "I am backing @theresa_may tonight. Being PM most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest.

"Brexit was never going to be easy but she is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29," he added.

Thirsk MP, Kevin Hollinrake, has thrown his weight behind the PM.

Asked who he thought the contenders for the leadership were he told BBC 5Live: "If the Prime Minister loses this vote of confidence today, you can ask me that question tomorrow. But my choice for Prime Minister is Theresa May."

Mr Hollinrake had earlier told Nicky Campbell: "Things move very quickly in politics. Who can tell what the future holds?

"It does frustrate me somewhat that the Prime Minister is criticised for setting these red lines (in Brexit negotiations) but to me those red lines represent the promises made prior to the referendum - frictionless trade will carry on, no free movement of people, we would stop paying into the EU budget, no jurisdiction of the ECJ and we would not have a hard border in Northern Ireland.

"Those are massive challenges and nobody, I can see, has presented a solution yet that meets all of those challenges other than the Prime Minister."

The Northern Echo:

In a joint statement the chairman of the European Research Group Jacob Rees-Mogg and his deputy Steve Baker said: "Theresa May's plan would bring down the Government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it.

"Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go."

WHAT FELLOW MPS ON BOTH SIDES OF HOUSE ARE SAYING

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: "The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election. Will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is best person to ensure we leave EU on 29 March."

Tory former minister Ed Vaizey said he would support the Prime Minister in the vote, but Sir Bernard Jenkin told Today he would vote for a change in leadership.

Sir Bernard said he had submitted a letter of no confidence earlier this week with "great regret".

Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, who recently returned to the Government, tweeted: "The PM has my full support. At this critical time we need to support and work with the PM to deliver on leaving the EU, & our domestic agenda - ambitious for improvements to people's lives & to build on growth of wages & jobs."

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson tweeted: "It was Andrew Adonis who said that 'Brexit is a revolution that devours its children. It has consumed three prime ministers - Thatcher, Major and Cameron.'

"Now it looks like Theresa May is the fourth. The country has no leader at a critical moment In our history."

Chancellor Philip Hammond was another Cabinet minister to come out in support of Mrs May, tweeting: "The Prime Minister has worked hard in the national interest since the day she took office and will have my full support in the vote tonight. Her deal means we leave the EU on time, whist protecting our jobs and our businesses."

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire also tweeted: "Strongly support @theresa_may to continue as Leader of @Conservatives and Prime Minister. Now is not the time for this distraction and even more uncertainty. We need to get behind the Prime Minister in the best interests of our country."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: "I'm voting for the Prime Minister tonight and urge all colleagues to do the same. We should all be focussed on coming together for the sake of the future of the country."

And International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt, tipped as a possible contender for the leadership, posted: "The Prime Minister has my full support, not least because she has always done what she firmly believes is in the national interest. Our country needs us all to fight for a good deal and prepare for a no deal senario. All eyes and hands should be on that task."

Justice Secretary David Gauke said he was "disappointed" that the letters have gone in, but said: "I hope that the Prime Minister will win tonight and win well."

Environment Secretary Michael Gove, another Cabinet minister who had been touted as a possible leadership contender, tweeted: "I am backing the Prime Minister 100% - and I urge every Conservative MP to do the same. She is battling hard for our country and no one is better placed to ensure we deliver on the British people's decision to leave the EU."

Education Secretary Damian Hinds tweeted: "Let's all get behind @Theresa_May to complete the job on brexit and keep on delivering on jobs & growth and tackling injustices. A leadership challenge does nothing to secure Brexit, and is the last thing our country, or the party, needs at this critical time."

Transport Secretary and prominent Brexiteer Chris Grayling said: "I will be backing Theresa May tonight. At this crucial point, the last thing the country needs is a prolonged and introspective leadership contest.

"I was one of the first Cabinet ministers to back Brexit. Delivering a deal was never going to be simple.

"Theresa May is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU and deliver on the Brexit that I and the people of our great country voted for."

Veteran Conservative backbencher Sir Peter Bottomley told the Press Association: "I guess some of the late letters are from people who want to halt the negotiations. I think they want us to crash out."

Liberal Democrats leader Sir Vince Cable tweeted: "The self-indulgent #ToryParty leadership challenge is about more than choice of leader. Political logic demands a split into a @UKIP style populist anti-EU party and another of the sensible centrists working with others. Stop #BrexitChaos. #PeoplesVoteNow."

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox tweeted: "I will support the Prime Minister @theresa_may tonight. This is a totally inappropriate time to have a contest. The country expects us to provide stability not damaging division."

David Lidington, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and minister for the Cabinet Office, tweeted: "@theresa_may has my full support. On the difficult & complex EU negotiations she has always put the national interest first."

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay tweeted: "I fully support the PM. This is a crucial stage with weeks to go before we leave the EU. We need to back @theresa_may and deliver the referendum result. The PM is working in our national interest and this distraction risks damaging uncertainty."

Alun Cairns, the Welsh Secretary, and David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, both offered their backing for the Prime Minister on Twitter.

"I am giving my full support to @theresa_may who has always put the national interest first. We need to honour the outcome of the referendum and support the PM to deliver Brexit on 29 March 2019," Mr Cairns said.

David Mundell added: "PM has my full support. A leadership contest is the last thing we need. The public want us to sort #Brexit now!"

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote on Twitter: "Today is a stark reminder that the UK is facing chaos and crisis entirely because of a vicious civil war within the Tory party. What a self-centred bunch they are. They all need to go, not just the PM."

House of Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom tweeted: "Vital to support @theresa_may today. She is working hard in the interest of the U.K. to get a good Brexit deal and she has my full support."

HOW A CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP CONTEST WILL UNFOLD

- Why will there be a vote?

A threshold of 48 letters of no confidence - 15% of Tory MPs - has been reached. Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, said the threshold had been exceeded.

- What happens in the no confidence vote?

Mrs May will need the support of more than 50% of the 315 Conservative MPs to stay in office, so 158 in total. But even if she wins, if the margin of victory is small her authority may have been fatally wounded.

- When will the vote be held?

The ballot is from 6-8pm on Wednesday evening, and the result is announced shortly afterwards.

- What if May loses?

If the PM loses the vote, she would not be able to stand in the subsequent leadership contest arranged by Sir Graham.

- How would that work?

Candidates for the leadership must be nominated by two Conservative MPs. If only one candidate comes forward, he or she becomes leader.

If a number of would-be leaders are nominated, the list is whittled down to a shortlist of two in a series of votes by MPs.

The final pair then go to a postal ballot of all party members, with the position of leader - and Prime Minister - going to the victor.

- How long would that take?

Sir Graham would be responsible for overseeing the contest and setting a timetable for the campaign, which would be expected to last around 12 weeks - although those calling for Mrs May to go believe it could be accomplished much quicker.

Mrs May could remain in the post during the campaign period.

- Who are the contenders to take over as Tory leader?

Bookmakers have Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab as joint favourites, followed by Michael Gove and Sajid Javed. Although Cabinet colleagues like Mr Javed have voiced support for Mrs May, they could become contenders if she loses the no confidence vote.

- The 1922 Committee seems to have a key role, what exactly is it?

Widely known in Westminster as "the '22", the committee of all backbench Conservative MPs meets weekly when the House of Commons is sitting.

- Where does the unusual name come from?

The committee takes its name from a meeting of Conservative MPs on October 19 1922. The MPs successfully ended the party's coalition with the Liberals, bringing down the government of David Lloyd George. The resulting general election was won by the Tories.