But there was also a sense, outside the meeting of the 1922 Committee, that the revolution has only been postponed.
Where Thatcher’s leadership once hung in the balance, May promised to go.
Sir Graham Brady’s announcement of the voting figures came as an icy shock to the Prime Minister’s supporters.
We currently have it at 189 declared for May, versus the 31 publicly opposed, and 93 undeclared.
“Tory MPs need to think…do they want Theresa May leading us into the next election?”. Plus: what she could have done to prevent him writing his letter.
“It’s very likely that the Prime Minister would win a confidence vote. Then there would be a 12 month gap before it could happen again.”
Plus: Unsung Conservative heroes. The Centre for Rocket Studies. And: why do we need the traditional, three-year University course?
I hope this work, which entails listening to party members, communities and businesses, will help to shape the future thinking of the Party.
In his new book,Richard Ritchie tells the story of the Progress Trust, an influential group of Tory backbenchers set up during the Second World War.
How a proud, unbending leader misread his party, brought down a government, and set back the idea of sharing power for a generation.