Boris Johnson is “welcoming the opportunity” to make his case to MPs in today’s Tory leadership vote.

The Prime Minister is facing a confidence vote after 54 Tory MPs submitted letters of no confidence to the party’s 1922 Committee.

Downing Street said Boris Johnson “welcomes the opportunity to make his case to MPs”, with a No 10 spokesman saying tonight’s vote was “a chance to end months of speculation and allow the Government to draw a line and move on”.

A No 10 spokesman said: “Tonight is a chance to end months of speculation and allow the Government to draw a line and move on, delivering on the people’s priorities.

“The PM welcomes the opportunity to make his case to MPs and will remind them that when they’re united and focused on the issues that matter to voters there is no more formidable political force.”

Bournemouth Echo: Sir Graham Brady (PA)Sir Graham Brady (PA)

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, said in a statement: “The threshold of 15% of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded.

“In accordance with the rules, a ballot will be held between 1800 and 2000 TODAY MONDAY 6th JUNE — details to be confirmed.

“The votes will be counted immediately afterwards. An announcement will be made at a time to be advised. Arrangements for the announcement will be released later today.”

The secret ballot will take place between 6pm and 8pm on Monday.

If half of MPs vote that they do not hold confidence in Mr Johnson’s leadership, then he will be ousted.

But, as the rules currently stand, if Mr Johnson wins a confidence vote, he cannot be challenged again for 12 months.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory 1922 Committee, told reporters in Westminster that Boris Johnson was informed last night that the threshold to trigger a vote had been reached.

He said some colleagues had post-dated their letters until after the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

He told reporters in Westminster: “I notified the Prime Minister yesterday that the threshold had been reached.

“We agreed the timetable for the confidence vote to take place and he shared my view – which is also in line with the rules that we have in place – that that vote should happen as soon as could reasonably take place and that would be today.”

He refused to confirm how many letters had been received or when the threshold had been passed but said “it is slightly complicated because some colleagues had asked specifically that it should not be until the end of the Jubilee celebrations”.