European elections - live: Corbyn tells supporters 'get ready for a general election' as Theresa May teeters on brink after shelving Brexit vote

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Who could replace Theresa May as Tory leader?

Theresa May is thought to be on the brink of resignation as she faces a growing cabinet revolt over her Brexit plan and humiliation for the Conservative Party in today's European elections.

The prime minister is expected to announce a departure plan on Friday after failing to quell a ministerial mutiny over her revised EU withdrawal agreement. Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, the most prominent Brexiteer in the cabinet, quit late on Wednesday and other ministers were expected to follow her out of the door.

It comes as both the Tories and Labour face a drubbing in European parliament elections, with the Liberal Democrats and the Brexit Party set to capitalise.

Key Points

• Theresa May on the brink of resignation after cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom resigns
• ... and PM shelves Brexit vote and publication of Withdrawal Agreement Bill
• Who are the top Tories in the running to replace the PM?
• Voters head to polls in European elections, as Tories face crushing defeat
• ... as hundreds of EU citizens 'turned away from polling stations'
• Change UK Heidi Allen admits she nearly quit leadership

[23 May 2019 12:18 · Ashley Cowburn]

Digital minister Margot James has said the PM is being "hounded out of office".

 "It's all very regrettable but she's being hounded out of office because parliament will not make a decision and the parties just have an inability to compromise," she said. "But in the end there's got to be a compromise."

[23 May 2019 12:26 · Ashley Cowburn]

City of Westminster Police have just warned of temporary road closures in place around Whitehall while a "suspect item assessed". We'll bring you any updates on this situation. 

[23 May 2019 12:43 · Ashley Cowburn]

Theresa May will still be prime minister when Donald Trump arrives in Britain for his state visit in two weeks’ time, the foreign secretary said this morning.

Speaking at a cybersecurity conference in London, Jeremy Hunt insisted she would be in place to greet the US president when he arrives on June 3 – despite reports that she is expected to resign tomorrow.

Mr Hunt said: “Theresa May will be prime minister to welcome him and rightly so.”

[23 May 2019 12:47 · Ashley Cowburn]

This is from the BBC's Liz Rawlings on the police operation currently underway in Whitehall 

[23 May 2019 13:03 · Benjamin Kentish]

NEW: The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that the package in Whitehall has now been deemed "non-suspicious" and roads will be reopened imminently.

[23 May 2019 13:16 · Benjamin Kentish]

Mel Stride has been appointed as the new Leader of the Commons, Downing Street has announced. The Treasury minister takes over from Andrea Leadsom, who resigned last night in protest at Theresa May's latest Brexit plan.

In the mini-reshuffle, current transport minister Jesse Norman will succeed Mr Stride as financial secretary to the Treasury, current culture minister Michael Ellis will move to the Department for Transport, and Rebecca Pow will succeed him at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. 

[23 May 2019 13:29 · Benjamin Kentish]

In the House of Lords, Labour peer Peter Hain has made fresh allegations about business tycoon Sir Philip Green, accusing him of 'touching and repeatedly slapping women staff's bottoms'.

[23 May 2019 13:40 · Benjamin Kentish]

A Brexit Party campaigner appears to have had a milkshake thrown at him, according to this tweet by Nigel Farage...

[23 May 2019 13:52 · Benjamin Kentish]

Hundreds of EU citizens have reportedly been turned away from polling stations and denied in a vote in today's European Parliament elections 

 

[23 May 2019 14:15 · Ashley Cowburn]

This is from the Press Association, regarding one infamous pledge made during the 2016 referendum campaign:

A judge will decide next week whether Boris Johnson will be summonsed to court to face accusations of misconduct in public office over claims he was lying when he said the UK gave the EU £350 million a week.

Lawyers representing Marcus Ball lodged an application at Westminster Magistrates' Court to summons Mr Johnson as part of a private prosecution against the former foreign secretary.

Lewis Power QC, representing Mr Ball, told the court on Thursday that Mr Johnson had deliberately misled the public during the Brexit referendum campaign in 2016 and then repeated the statement during the 2017 general election.

He said: "Democracy demands responsible and honest leadership from those in public office.

"The conduct of the proposed defendant Boris Johnson was both irresponsible and dishonest.

"It was, we say, criminal."