The Independent quoted the chair of the 1922 Committee as stating: "The threshold of 15 per cent of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded."

He further said that the vote will be held between 6 pm and 8 pm (local time) and the ballots will be counted "immediately afterwards" with announcement of the result being made subsequently.

According to The Independent, it comes as almost 30 Tory MPs have publicly urged the prime minister to resign amid the fallout from revelations about Downing Street parties held during lockdown.

Meanwhile, former minister Jesse Norman has also written a strongly worded letter withdrawing his support for the PM in wake of Sue Gray report and party's "lacking a sense of mission" under Johnson.

The No 10 has said that Johnson "welcomes the opportunity to make his case to MPs", and that tonight's vote is "a chance to end months of speculation and allow the government to draw a line and move on," BBC reported.