The UK Prime Minister is set for a showdown with Conservative backbenchers over her Brexit strategy.

The meeting with the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers comes amid reports Theresa May could soon face a vote of no confidence in her leadership.

There has been speculation that the number of Conservative MPs willing to submit letter calling for her removal is now close to the 48 needed to trigger a no confidence vote in her leadership.

Under Tory rules, 15% of MPs must write to the party chairman in order for a ballot to be called.

IN a speech to the House of Commons on Monday, Mrs May insisted that the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement was 95% complete – but admitted that the Irish border remains a “considerable” sticking point.

She said the EU had agreed to consider offering the entire UK a temporary joint customs territory as a possible backstop.

There is also the potential for extension of the Brexit implementation period - which will come into effect after the UK formally leaves the EU next March – although she said that would be “undesirable.”

The EU has warned that any backstop proposal for avoiding a hard border in Ireland cannot be time limited and must be legally binding unless and until another solution is agreed.

The transition period is due to expire at the end of 2020 - with Mrs May insisting that any extension should only last a few months.

Over the weekend, The Times obtained UK Cabinet papers suggesting the transition period could end up morphing into a “long-running" arrangement lasting years.

Both sides in the talks have also stepped up their plans for a ‘no-deal’ scenario.