Tory Eurosceptics are still short of forcing a no-confidence vote in Theresa May - despite vowing to do so within days.
The PM is facing a titanic political battle to cling on as Brexiteers try to mount a coup against her over the divorce deal.
Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell urged the rebels to back off from the ledge today, warning them against 'hunting' Mrs May down like Margaret Thatcher.
The mutineers claim they are nearly at the threshold of 48 letters to the chair of the Tory 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady, needed to spark a ballot.
Former Brexit secretary David Davis insisted it was 'teetering close to getting over the 48' but dodged questions over whether he had joined the revolt.
But doubts about the level of support for the revolt have already been raised by the length of time it is taking - with most observers believing the plotters are eight letters short.
Despite leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg dramatically announcing he was joining the calls last week, Sir Graham said yesterday that he had not received enough.
After many days of fevered speculation, Sir Graham Brady (pictured yesterday on the BBC), chairman of the 1922 committee which represents Tory MPs, said yesterday he has still not received enough letters to trigger a confidence vote in Theresa May
Despite leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured in Westminster today) dramatically announcing he was joining the calls last week, Sir Graham said yesterday that he had not received enough
Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell (file) urged the rebels to back off from the ledge today, warning them against 'hunting' Mrs May down like Margaret Thatcher
There are signs of growing nerves among the rebels as constituency associations urge their MPs not to torpedo the package.
Senior Eurosceptics have also admitted that some of their colleagues do not seem to be telling them the truth about whether they have written letters.
Meanwhile, Tory figures have tried to head off the mutiny, with former chief whip Andrew Mitchell warning that the party would sustain massive damage if they were seen to 'hunt her down' as happened to Margaret Thatcher.
Mrs May will vow defiance today as she faces down restive Cabinet ministers and MPs.
She is facing a nail-biting next 48 hours to see if the Tory Brexiteer coup against her gains momentum or falls flat.
Sir Graham is the only Conservative who knows how many MPs have sent their letters in, and the number is shrouded in such secrecy he has not even told his wife Victoria what it is.
He also revealed that some MPs lie and pretend to send their no confidence letters in when they have not - although he did not say if this applied to the rebels trying to oust Mrs May.
And despite the bitter Tory civil war in Westminster, he predicted that Mrs May would win a no confidence vote if one is held against her.
Speaking on the North West edition of the BBC's Sunday Politics programme, he predicted Mrs May will not be easily toppled.
He said: 'It would be a simple majority, it would be very likely that the Prime Minister would win such a vote and if she did then there would be a 12-month period where this could not happen again, which would be a huge relief for me because people would have to stop asking me questions about numbers of letters for at least 12 months.'
Confirming he had not reached the crucial 48 number, he told Pienaar's Politics on BBC Radio 5 Live: 'If a threshold were to be reached I would have to consult with the leader of the party the Prime Minister.'
Pressed on if this would have to happen immediately, he added: 'The whole thing is written with the intention that it should be an expeditious process.
'I think one of the crazy things which has taken hold over the last few weeks is that people in the media and elsewhere suggesting this is something that would go on for weeks.
'If it were to happen it ought to be a test of opinion very quickly in order to clear the air and get it out the way quickly.'
Perennial Eurosceptic Bill Cash (left) is also rumoured to have submitted a letter after Zac Goldsmith (right) said he was moving to trigger a confidence vote, becoming the 24th Conservative MP to go public with a bid to oust the PM
He said claims he would sit on the letters and wait to hold a vote are 'slightly offensive'.
Sir Graham said has not written a letter of no confidence himself and has 'no intention to do so'.
The Tory MP for Altrincham and Sale West said Britain is entering the 'end game' of a crucial negotiation and it is not the right time for the Tory Party and Government to be 'plunged into uncertainty'.
Mr Mitchell told the Times: 'If these letters succeed in triggering a challenge then the party will turn in on itself and that is not a good place for the Conservatives let alone the country.
'It will end making us look like we're hunting the prime minister down as happened with Margaret Thatcher.
'It will do the party untold damage in the eyes of the public.'
The PM (pictured on Sky yesterday) confirmed she is set to fly back for more negotiations with the EU this week as she stressed her under-fire Brexit plan is not fully finished. She added that the next seven days 'are going to be critical'
But he criticised the PM's Brexit divorce deal, branding it 'tricky' and said he is 'not happy' about the backstop plans warning it could leave Britain trapped in the EU customs union forever.
The Prime Minister is mounting another robust defence of the package thrashed out with Brussels despite the rising threat of a no-confidence vote by her own MPs.
Moving to quell calls from within Cabinet for the deal to be renegotiated, Mrs May will make clear that there is no prospect of reopening the talks.
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News Pictures Tory rebels still short of forcing no-confidence vote in Theresa May
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