Shadow ministers are considering resigning in hopes of sparking a leadership contest and ousting Kemi Badenoch, it is understood.
Concerned MPs in the Tory leader's shadow cabinet may take the "nuclear" option of stepping down from their roles to force her departure.
A number of leading party figures could put forward letters of no confidence as soon as November 2, sources told The Times, who went on to claim rumours are swirling of one or more shadow ministers resigning.
A YouGov poll published on Monday suggested half of Conservative members did not want Mrs Badenoch to lead the party into the next election, while Robert Jenrick was their top choice to replace her.
The Shadow Justice Secretary has however avoided making disloyal comments about the party leader and urged the "survivors" of the 2024 election to "get behind Kemi".
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Voting begins in Labour deputy leadership race begins
Lucy Powell and Bridget Phillipson are battling it out in the deputy leadership race
|PA
Voting is underway today for Labour's next deputy leader.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, are going head-to-head in the contest, which was triggered by Angela Rayner’s resignation as deputy leader over her tax affairs.
Results are expected to be announced on October 25.
Ms Powell, who was sacked from the Cabinet in a reshuffle in September, has been supported by Lord Kinnock – who led the party from 1983 to 1992 – while Ms Phillipson has had the backing of unions including GMB and Unison, as well as former home secretary Alan Johnson.
Tory party Chairman defends Robert Jenrick over 'white faces' comment
Kevin Hollinrake has defended Robert Jenrick over his comment that he “didn’t see another white face” during a visit to Handsworth in Birmingham.
The Conservative party Chairman told GB News: "He was stating absolute fact. There are some communities around the country where it is a monoethnic and that is not something I think any of us can be comfortable with.
"We want to make sure we have a diverse community that is good but it should be integrated and I think there are lots of communities around the UK that are not integrated.
"This isn't isolated to Birmingham there are other communities - you go to Dewsbury, you go to Bradford, you go to Leicester.
"It is not to do with skin culture this is about culture. We don't want a situation where people are living separate lives - parallel lives with a completely different culture."
Kemi Badenoch to set out 'golden economic rule' in party conference speech
Kemi Badenoch will set out a "golden rule" to drive down the deficit and reveal her party's plans to boost the economy in her leader's speech as she closes the Conservative Party conference.
The Tories have sought to put a stronger economy and stronger borders at the centre of their agenda for the conference.
Mrs Badenoch has already confirmed a policy to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and deport 150,000 people a year.
In her speech today, she will turn to the economy, setting out a “golden rule” that half of all money saved from cuts must be put towards driving down the deficit.
The other half would go on spending or cutting taxes to boost the economy.
It follows the party’s pledge to cut £47billion of spending by restricting welfare and shrinking the Civil Service.
She is expected to say: “It starts with fiscal responsibility. We have to get the deficit down.
“And we must also show how every tax cut or spending increase is paid for. So today, I am going to introduce a new golden economic rule.
“Every pound we save will be put to work. At least half will go towards cutting the deficit.”
She will claim that Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ plans will see the deficit double over the next 10 years, which she will call “not sustainable” and “not fair”.
“It is stealing from our children and grandchildren. And Conservatives will put a stop to it,” she is expected to say.
Keir Starmer resists demands for more Indian visas - after nearly one million come to Britain in just five years
The Prime Minister has resisted demands to dish out even more visas to Indian workers and students in the face of growing pressure from businesses.
Travelling alongside 125 business leaders and university vice-chancellors to Mumbai, Sir Keir Starmer batted away calls from for more "high-skilled worker" visas for Indians to come and work in Britain.
He said that was "not part of the plan", and pointed out that the free trade deal agreed with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi back in July had not involved a substantial change in visa arrangements.
Sir Keir also defended the presence of university vice-chancellors on board the Mumbai-bound British Airways flight when pressed by reporters.
He said: "It's a fantastic opportunity for us to provide university education in India for people.
"There's no question of visas. This is just a fantastic opportunity - and that's why they are with us.
"They want to build out that side of their business and a very good thing too."
Keir Starmer declares: 'I don't need lectures from Robert Jenrick' after top Tory's 'white faces' warning
Mr Jenrick described Handsworth in Birmingham as 'one of the worst integrated places I've ever been to'
| GETTYSir Keir Starmer has claimed he "does not need lectures from Robert Jenrick" amid a row over the Shadow Justice Secretary's remarks on "white faces" in Birmingham.
Speaking to GB News ahead of his arrival in India on Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister was probed on Mr Jenrick's comment that he "didn't see another white face" during a visit to Handsworth in the Second City.
On average, under 15 per cent of residents in the area were white at the time of the 2021 census, while under 10 per cent were "White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British".
In particular, Mr Jenrick was seen visiting The Broadway in Handsworth, which ranges from 5.5 to 2.8 per cent white.
But now, the Prime Minister has claimed it is "quite hard to take anything that Robert Jenrick says seriously".
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