Politics: Tories change leader vote

Tory MPs voted last night to make it easier to remove their leader by requiring only 32 MPs to trigger a no-confidence vote under the reforms endorsed by William Hague.

The 1922 Committee of Tory MPs had suggested that at least 41 MPs - 25 per cent - should be needed for a no-confidence vote, but the backbenchers went for 20 per cent. A majority of 51 per cent would be needed to force a leadership election.