LONDON—Embattled U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s senior allies rallied around her on Friday while she attempted to muster support for her controversial Brexit plan and fend off a possible challenge to her leadership.
Four leading euroskeptic members of Mrs. May’s cabinet said they would remain in her government, continuing to back her plan despite widespread criticism of it in Parliament. That helped stabilize her government a day after she lost two senior cabinet members.
Meanwhile, a brewing challenge to her leadership within the ranks of her own Conservative Party hadn’t materialized, with her opponents so far failing to build the necessary support to trigger a vote of no confidence in the prime minister.
Michael Gove, a key ally of Mrs. May, said he would remain in his role as environment secretary. He was joined by Andrea Leadsom, another prominent Brexit backer, and Liam Fox, who runs the trade department, according to people familiar with the matter.
The show of solidarity offers a boost to Mrs. May as she went on the offensive in a series of media appearances to win support for an agreement she hammered out on the terms of the U.K.’s departure from the European Union.
“I want all of my colleagues in the cabinet to continue to do the excellent job they’ve been doing,” Mrs. May said when asked during a radio phone-in if she expected further resignations.
Corporate heavyweights, including BAE Systems PLC, and the Confederation of British Industry, a major employers’ lobby group, expressed public support for the Brexit plan.
Despite a reprieve Friday, the internecine battle within the Conservative Party over Mrs. May’s future foreshadows the coming challenge the prime minister faces in getting her Brexit plan approved by a skeptical and deeply divided Parliament.
Without its backing, Britain risks leaving the EU without a deal in March next year, an outcome that could carry severe economic costs.
Hard-line Conservative Brexit supporters, incensed that the agreement that dictates the terms of the divorce between the U.K. and the EU, are seeking to dislodge Mrs. May by forcing a vote of confidence in her leadership in the hope of replacing her and ditching her Brexit deal.
A total of 48 Tories must submit letters of no confidence for the vote to be called. However, the process is shrouded in secrecy and it isn’t clear whether that threshold has been met.
About 20 Conservative lawmakers have said publicly they have submitted letters calling for Mrs. May to go.
“We’re probably not far off,” said Steve Baker, a prominent Tory Brexit backer. “I think it’s probably imminent.”
The maneuvers by Brexit hard-liners follow the resignations Thursday of six members of Mrs. May’s government, including two cabinet members, over the Brexit deal. That agreement dictates the terms of Britain’s divorce from the U.K.
The pact has drawn fierce disapproval from key Conservative figures—as well as the main opposition Labour Party—who said Mrs. May has conceded too much.
Should she face a leadership challenge, Mrs. May’s chances of surviving a no-confidence vote are high, analysts say. Deep splits over the EU and other issues mean there isn’t a leading candidate within the party to replace her as leader and prime minister.
But such a vote would make plain that Mrs. May can’t rely on Conservative lawmakers to back her Brexit deal in Parliament, heightening the chances U.K. leaves without a deal. The government hasn’t said when it will present its Brexit bill to Parliament.
Mrs. May has fought back, warning her opponents that her deal is the only option. If it fails, the country would either exit the EU without any plan for future trading relations, or could decide not to leave the bloc at all, she said, repudiating the 2016 popular referendum in favor of an exit.
In an address Friday, Mr. Fox urged his warring party to unite behind the prime minister. “A deal is better than no deal,” he said.
—Paul Hannon contributed to this article.
Write to Jason Douglas at jason.douglas@wsj.com and Max Colchester at max.colchester@wsj.com
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