Theresa May’s time is up – but it’s still anyone’s guess as to how her departure will play out

The extent to which the prime minister has lost her party became evident on Wednesday. With rumours still swirling, the political world is holding its breath

Margaret Thatcher left in a blur of tears in the back of a limousine. John Major popped over to the Oval to watch the cricket. David Cameron announced he was off and walked back into Number 10 humming insouciantly, for all the world as if he’d been given the afternoon off school.

But how will Theresa May go? There is no set procedure for a failing prime minister to be prised out of 10 Downing Street, and the process of ending a premiership always involves confusion and uncertainty, rumours and denials.

That has certainly been the case this week. As she confidently unveiled her “new Brexit deal” before a backdrop optimistically reading “seeking common ground in parliament”, anyone in the room might have been forgiven for thinking the prime minister had some hope that her torturously crafted compromises might finally secure MPs’ approval.