SALISBURY'S MP has said he will back the prime minister in a no confidence vote scheduled to take place tonight.

It was confirmed this morning that the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, had received the 48 letters of no confidence from Tory MPs required to trigger a ballot on the leadership.

In a Tweet this morning, Salisbury MP John Glen said this was "not the time for leadership challenges".

"It is time to support the PM as she seeks to secure the best possible deal to honour the outcome of the referendum and safeguard jobs in this country," he said.

"The PM has proved her resilience and she will do so again today."

Theresa May has also vowed to fight the effort to oust her as leader "with everything I've got".

In a dramatic early morning statement outside the door to 10 Downing Street, Mrs May warned a change of prime minister would put the UK’s future at risk and could delay or halt Brexit.

She insisted she would stay on to “finish the job” she has set herself as prime minister.

The vote will take place between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday, with the result announced soon afterwards.

Mrs May needs to secure the votes of 158 MPs – half the parliamentary party plus one – to remain as Conservative leader, though a vote of 100 or more against her will raise questions about whether she can continue.

If she wins, another challenge cannot be mounted against her position as Tory leader for a year.