Thread by @faisalislam

much uncertainty re what happens now ... MPs uncertain if PM would actually resign if many in Cabinet did

incumbent PM still has power to
1. Appoint new Cabinet
2. Sign further extension with EU Council
3. Go for No Deal
4. Advise Crown on who to send for next:

Cabinet manual:

Some legal advice even has it that whoever is PM has executive power to revoke A50 - though this is disputed legally... and would seem politically very difficult...

Bigger point is there is no Conservative process to force her out till December.

no process for “interim” leader

I’ve been told by ministers and Tory MPs that the Party Board can approve a new leader without election “in exceptional circumstances” but cannot find that reference in the party constitution... other say such approval could occur only if MPs settled on one candidate...

But if PM resigned, say, & advised HM to send for Lidington, he would then get chance - & then only q would be - can he get the confidence of... Commons as whole.

have heard influential Labour MPs say they would consider that.

Would new PM contemplating No Deal get confidence?

But if she went, starting to get to interim national government territory in order to give someone Confidence to go to Brussels on April 11th and do something...

1. Longer extension including EP elections
2. Immediate No Deal.

Impossible to divorce personnel decision from above

But Labour MPs might also have choice - say Lidington gets a chance to form Govt - but ERG MPs/ DUP clearly indicate No (the former extraordinary in itself) - go for inevitable election, or give space for extension?

Would GE alone be sufficient for EU27 to further extend A50?