Amber Rudd has thrown her full support behind Prime Minister Theresa May as news breaks that Mrs May will face a challenge to her leadership of the Conservative party later today.

Writing on her Twitter account minutes ago the Hastings MP said: “The PM has my full support. At this critical time we need to support and work with the PM to deliver on leaving the EU, and our domestic agenda – ambitious for improvements to people’s lives and to build on growth of wages and jobs.”

James Dee, a local Conservative activist and a former party candidate at the borough council elections earlier this year said: “Now is not the time for a leadership election.”

After overnight speculation that there would be a challenge to Mrs May’s leadership it was announced just before 8am today that a vote of Conservative MPs will take place between 6pm and 8pm today.

Ms Rudd, who was Home Secretary until April and has recently returned to the cabinet as Work and Pensions Secretary has, in the past, been tipped as a potential candidate for leadership of the Conservative party if there was a vacancy.