As many as 70 chairmen of local Conservative associations signed a motion calling for an emergency session of the party’s grassroots forum to express no confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May, bringing the Brexit debate back to Westminster after the Easter break.

As some parties prepared to announce candidates for the European elections, May met her cabinet on Tuesday morning, while pro and anti-Brexit activists returned outside parliament, noisily putting their cases forward before passersby and television cameras.

Under Conservative party rules, May is immune from a leadership challenge until December, having won the last no-confidence vote in December 2018. But critics believe a no-confidence motion by the grassroots forum would add pressure on her to quit, instead of being pushed.

The new Brexit date has been pushed down the road to October 31, but the immediate challenge before May is to reach a situation in which the UK avoids taking part in the May 23 elections to the European Parliament. This is possible if a consensus is reached to resolve the logjam.

“To be honest, I would be delighted if she announced today she was announcing her resignation and we could then have an orderly election to choose a new leader of the Conservative party.” “I believe the only way we’re going to break this impasse properly is if we have fresh leadership of the Conservative party If there was an announcement today by the prime minister then of course we could start the process straight away.”

May and her team are scheduled to resume talks with the opposition Labour to try and reach a consensus on the withdrawal agreement that has been thrice voted down by the House of Commons.