Prime Minister Theresa May may well survive the looming attempt to remove her from her party's top job, says a senior Carlisle Conservative.

John Mallinson, who leads the Conservatives on Carlisle City Council, spoke just a few hours after it was confirmed that the stage is now set for a vote of no confidence which if lost lost would trigger a leadership election.

Officials confirmed that the required 48 letters to trigger the vote - due to happen this evening - had been submitted to the chairman of the Conservative Party's powerful 1922 back benchers' committee.

Click here for a News & Star explainer on what will happen now the no confidence vote has been triggered

"This is a boil that had to be lanced," said Mr Mallinson, speaking this morning.

"I suspect she may well win because when you look at the alternatives [for leader] there is nobody jumping out at you. I am also not sure that changing leader of the Conservative Party or Prime Minister will resolve anything.

"The elephant in the room is Brexit.

"We have a split party over Brexit; we have a split Parliament over Brexit; and we have a split nation. It is going to be very, very hard to bring all of these people together. We need a good economic deal out of Europe.

"But all we have been looking at is the political one. Europe have their own agenda. I don't think they feel that they can afford to give us a decent deal. I was a remainer and I was surprised and saddened by the result of the referendum."

Mr Mallinson said that even at this stage in the Brexit process - which under current arrangements will see the UK leave the EU on March 29 - he had no idea what the Labour Party's position was on Brexit.

"I think they're in as big a mess over Brexit as we are," he said. Mr Mallinson added: "We need to be very, very, careful.

"There is a faction within the Conservative Party who wish to leave Europe at all costs, however it pans out.

"I read somewhere that a hard Brexit would cost us between eight and 10 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) and that is an enormous amount - an amount heading towards the 1930s [economic conditions]. It's scary."

Addressing the nation this morning as she stood outside 10 Downing Street, Mrs May said: ""I have been a member of the Conservative Party for over 40 years. I've served it as an activist, councillor, MP, shadow minister, home secretary and now as Prime Minister.

"I stood to be leader because I believe in the Conservative vision for a better future; a thriving economy with nowhere and nobody left behind; a stronger society where everyone can make the most of their talents - always serving the national interest.

"And at this crucial moment in our history, that means securing a Brexit deal that delivers on the result of the EU referendum, taking back control of our borders, laws and money, but protecting jobs, our security and our precious union as we do so.

"Through good times and bad over the last two years, my passionate belief that such a deal is attainable, that a bright future lies ahead for our country, has not wavered and it is now within our grasp."

Mrs May said changing Conservative leader would put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it.

And a leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the parliamentary arithmetic.

She added: "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division, just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest. The only people whose interests would be served are Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell."