Coup to oust May's leadership ‘underway’

Speculation is mounting that a coup is underway as ministers are plotting to oust Theresa May from 10 Downing Street and she could be gone within hours. 

Talk of a cabinet coup within hours has reached fever pitch amid reports that ministers are plotting a coup to get rid of her.

The Sunday Times is reporting that the beleaguered British Prime Minister could be replaced by an interim leader to guide the UK through Brexit. Michael Gove is the leading contender to be interim leader before a full leadership vote, according to The Mail on Sunday.

Mrs May’s former policy adviser MP George Freeman said it was “all over for the PM”, tweeting: “She’s done her best. But across the country you can see the anger.

I’m afraid it’s all over for the PM. She’s done her best. But across the country you can see the anger. Everyone feels betrayed. Government’s gridlocked. Trust in democracy collapsing. This cant go on. We need a new PM who can reach out & build some sort of coalition for a PlanB.

— George Freeman MP (@GeorgeFreemanMP) March 23, 2019

An estimated one million people opposed to Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union marched through central London to demand a new referendum as the deepening Brexit crisis risks sinking Prime Minister Theresa May’s premiership.

May, who voted to stay in the EU and won the top job in the chaos following the 2016 referendum, had vowed to deliver Brexit but she undermined her premiership with a botched snap election in 2017 which cost her party its parliamentary majority.

Demonstrators carry posters and flags in London.Source:AP

The Brexit divorce deal she struck with the EU in November has been overwhelmingly rejected twice by British MPs.

The Sunday Times cited 11 unidentified senior ministers and said they had agreed that the PM should stand down, warning that she has become a toxic and erratic figure whose judgment has “gone haywire”.

The end is nigh. She will be gone in 10 days, The Sunday Times quoted an unidentified minister as saying.

Her judgment has started to go haywire. You can’t be a member of the cabinet who just puts your head in the sand, the newspaper cited a second unidentified minister as saying.

The Sunday Times reported that May’s de-facto deputy, David Lidington, is one contender to be interim prime minister but others are pushing for Environment Secretary Michael Gove or Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

The newspaper said cabinet ministers would confront May on Monday. If she refuses to go, ministers would threaten to resign.