Prime minister replies after Leadsom quits as leader of the House of Commons

• Theresa May’s Brexit statement – summary
• Early evening summary

11.32pm BST

There is now widespread speculation Theresa May could announce her date of departure as early as Friday when she is due to meet Sir Graham Brady, chair of the backbench 1922 Committee.

The BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg tweets:

Whispers tonight number 10 might be looking for a window btw polls closing tomorrow night and Friday mid morning when it turns into a public removal of PM - this is such a febrile situation that it’s v v hard to know what’s going on beyond simple truth that she’s on way out https://t.co/ce1j9p4hLQ

11.06pm BST

Speaking to reporters after her resignation, Leadsom said she could not support the Withdrawal Agreement Bill’s new elements.

22/05/2019 - www.theguardian.com

Leadsom harbours leadership ambitions – but other ministers also think sticking with the PM was a mistake

A minister resigning from Theresa May’s government rarely makes the front pages these days – since the 2017 election, the prime minister had lost 41 government ministers.

However, there was a sense of surprise in government circles that it was one of May’s more loyal cabinet colleagues, Andrea Leadsom, who became the 42nd – and it is unlikely she will be the last.

22/05/2019 - www.theguardian.com

Steelmaker directly employs 5,000 people and thousands more in the supply chain

• What went wrong at British Steel?

British Steel has entered insolvency, putting 5,000 jobs directly at risk and endangering thousands more in the supply chain after talks with the UK government failed to reach an agreement on emergency funding.

The high court on Wednesday granted an application by the directors of British Steel to enter an insolvency process. Control of the company passed to the official receiver – an employee of the Insolvency Service – who will run a compulsory liquidation. EY has been lined up to assist with the liquidation.

22/05/2019 - www.theguardian.com