SCOTTISH First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has slammed the Tory Party for causing  “chaos and crisis” in the UK this morning.

She labelled MPs “a self-centred bunch, adding: “They all need to go, not just the PM.”

Ms Sturgeon’s comments come on what’s set to be a dramatic night at Westminster as it was confirmed the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, had received the 48 letters of no confidence from Tory MPs required to trigger a ballot on the leadership.

The vote will take place between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday, with the result announced soon afterwards.

Theresa May has since vowed to fight an effort to oust her as Conservative leader and Prime Minister “with everything I’ve got.”

In an early-morning statement outside Number 10, Mrs May warned a change of Prime Minister would put the UK’s future at risk and could delay or halt Brexit.

WATCH: How a Tory leadership contest would unfold

She insisted she would stay on to “finish the job” she has set herself as Prime Minister.

Ms Sturgeon was quick to slam the Tories on Twitter and said: “Today is a stark reminder that the UK is facing chaos and crisis entirely because of a vicious civil war within the Tory party. What a self-centred bunch they are. They all need to go, not just the PM.”

She then went on to add: “While Westminster crumbles further into chaos, with a UK government that has ceased to function, @scotgov will set out our budget for the year ahead - protecting public services, supporting the economy, and building a fairer country.”

The leader of the Scottish Tories, meanwhile, said the Prime Minister “has cojones of steel.”

Ruth Davidson added: “[She] is putting in a punishing degree of effort to deliver for our country. She has my full support.”

Mrs May needs to secure the votes of 158 MPs - half the parliamentary party plus one - to remain as Conservative leader, though a vote of 100 or more against her will raise questions about whether she can continue.

If she wins, another challenge cannot be mounted against her position as Tory leader for a year.