Boris Johnson’s allies lobby MPs to stop Tory support draining away

Sense of crisis deepens in No 10 as speculation mounts about no-confidence vote in prime minister

Boris Johnson and his allies have launched an emergency effort to lobby wavering MPs as he faces the spiralling threat of a confidence vote in his leadership that could put his position under threat within days.

By Tuesday night, at least 44 Tory MPs had publicly questioned Johnson's fitness to hold office, including 18 who are known to have sent letters to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, to formally seek a confidence vote.