Conservative MP and ERG member Anne Marie Morris told Newsnight last night that she believes the 1922 Committee chairman has the required 48 letters from Conservative MPs in order to trigger a leadership contest. According to Morris, all it takes is for those Members who have handed in their letters to say that they can be used, and a contest begins.
“My belief… is that we do have the 48, and what depends on whether or not they can be used is whether or not those Members who have put them in give him the go ahead. He has them, but subject to [approval].”
Morris seems very confident in her assumption. Only time will tell…
Theresa May knew she was in for a tough bout when howls of laughter greeted her stock response to the opening question: “This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others…” She had survived the warm-up rounds with her ministers for now, but could she withstand a gruelling slugfest with the MPs? 
German GDP growth figures have today been released for the third quarter this year. Official numbers now show that the German economy actually contracted by 0.2% in the third quarter, 0.6% below what was 
