Speaking outside Number 10 this morning, Mrs May said she "stands ready to finish the job" she started as Prime Minister after chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady announced the vote of no confidence.

• LIVE: Keep across the latest breaking news as Theresa May faces confidence vote

This is what MPs across the region have said in response to the announcement.

Jenny Chapman, Darlington MP

“With only a few months left before Britain leaves the EU, Theresa May’s weakness and failure has completely paralysed the Government at this critical time for the country.

“The Prime Minister’s rotten Brexit deal does not have the backing of anyone. Not her Cabinet, not her party, not our Parliament and not the country.

“For all the talk of national interest, the Conservative party’s self-indulgent, ideological dogfight has yet again rendered the country rudderless and leaderless at a crucial moment in our history.”

Simon Clarke, Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP

"I will vote for change tonight.

"The EU negotiations are horribly off course and do not command support in Parliament.

"The policy is inextricable from the person of the Prime Minister, and the stakes are simply too high for endless deferral."

Anna Turley, Redcar MP

"The nation has already spent three years being dragged into the Tories’ internal psycho-drama over its hard-right’s obsession with Europe, and our entire future in the world has been put at risk for internal indulgence.

"The British people are just an afterthought in Tory games."

Kevin Hollinrake, Thirsk and Malton MP

Thirsk and Malton MP, Kevin Hollinrake, has thrown his weight behind the PM.

Asked who he thought the contenders for the leadership were he told BBC 5Live: "If the Prime Minister loses this vote of confidence today, you can ask me that question tomorrow. But my choice for Prime Minister is Theresa May."

Mr Hollinrake had earlier told Nicky Campbell: "Things move very quickly in politics. Who can tell what the future holds?

"It does frustrate me somewhat that the Prime Minister is criticised for setting these red lines (in Brexit negotiations) but to me those red lines represent the promises made prior to the referendum - frictionless trade will carry on, no free movement of people, we would stop paying into the EU budget, no jurisdiction of the ECJ and we would not have a hard border in Northern Ireland.

"Those are massive challenges and nobody, I can see, has presented a solution yet that meets all of those challenges other than the Prime Minister."

Tom Blenkinsop, former MP for Middlesbrough South and east Cleveland

"48 Tories have been heard more in one day, than 48 per cent of the British voting public, for over two years.

"Tory MPs have insisted upon a re-run of the 2016 Tory leadership election, because they don’t like the outcome of the result. But you can’t have a People's Vote."

Alex Cunningham, Stockton North MP

"Our country is facing the greatest crisis in its history since Suez and instead of tackling the deep rooted issues around Brexit, the Conservatives are fighting amongst themselves which is far from good for the country.

"With just over three months before we are due to leave the EU we have a weak prime minister who with her own MPs has completely immobilised the Government putting people’s jobs and living standards at risk.

"Whatever happens tonight, dozens of Tory MPs have made it clear they want rid of Theresa May – and even if she survives the vote of no confidence, as is widely expected, she may find it impossible to go on.

Roberta Blackman-Woods, Durham MP

“In a way I’m not surprised because this whole Brexit issue has been more about division in the Tory party than anything else.

“I was very disappointed when the Prime Minister gave her statement on Monday because she is going back to Europe to appease people in her own party and get that bad deal over the line rather than thinking what’s best for the country.”

She added: “This mess is totally her making. She has handled it so badly.

“Whatever happens today, we have to get a better deal for the country and for the North-East.

“I think whatever happens Labour has to be ready to say we have to put the country first and get a better deal.”

Paul Williams, Stockton South MP

The Conservatives should be worrying about record NHS waiting lists, rising unemployment in places like Stockton South and the insecurity to local businesses from their Brexit deal. Instead they are playing internal party politics. I’ll be focusing today on the important issues that matter to the people who elected me.