A SOUTHAMPTON MP says 'now is not the time' for a Tory leadership contest.

But Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith said Theresa May might not be the best option in the distant future.

It comes as Mrs May faces a confidence vote, after the required 48 letters for a vote were delivered.

She come under criticism from members of her party, for the way she is dealing with Brexit.

MP Royston Smith said: "The timing is not good.

"You ask her to go to EU and you have a confidence vote. Now is not the time.

"Let her get through this and at least past Christmas first.

"I am not entirely sure that the Prime Minister is the right Prime Minister for the distant future.

"If there was to be a vote of no confidence, I'm not sure who I would like to take that place.

"I would have to think about it carefully. There's a lot of younger people coming through from the 2010 and 2015 intake that may be the people of the future."

It comes as Mrs May promised to fight a leadership contest with "everything she's got".

Speaking outside Number 10, Mrs May said that changing Conservative leader would "put our country's future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it" and could lead to Brexit being delayed or prevented.

This morning Tory MPs requested a vote of confidence in Theresa May to trigger a contest, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady has announced.