MPs condemn 'shocking' scenes during Commons fracking vote
There were farcical scenes in Westminster as the Government appeared to perform another U-turn on a threat to strip the whip from Conservative MPs if they backed a fracking ban.
Last updated 20th Oct 2022
Liz Truss's premiership is even more uncertain this morning, following an extraordinary day at Westminster, which saw her Home Secretary quit, and chaotic scenes in the House of Commons during a vote on fracking.
Suella Braverman resigned yesterday afternoon, saying she had sent a government document from a her personal email address.
She acknowledged there had been "a technical infringement of the rules", adding: "I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility: I resign."
However, she also took an angry swipe at the government by accusing it of breaking "key pledges" and failing to reduce immigration numbers.
She has now been replaced by Grant Shapps.
Chaotic fracking motion
Conservative whips initially stated the vote on whether to allocate Commons time to consider legislation to stop shale gas extraction was being treated as a "confidence motion" in Liz Truss's embattled Government.
But after a series of Tory MPs signalled they would not take part in the vote, climate minister Graham Stuart caused confusion by telling the Commons: "Quite clearly this is not a confidence vote."
The motion was defeated by the government.
Allegations of bullying were also levelled against Government whips, with Labour former minister Chris Bryant saying some MPs had been "physically manhandled into another lobby and being bullied".
Conservative MP Charles Walker said the situation was a "shambles".
In a blistering interview with the BBC, he said there was "no coming back" for the government.
He said: “I’m livid. I hope all those people who put Liz Truss in Number 10, I hope it was worth it,”
"I hope it was worth it for the ministerial red box.
"I hope it was worth it to sit around the Cabinet table, because the damage they have done to our party is extraordinary."
"I expect the prime minister to resign very soon because she's not up to her job."
Edinburgh South Labour MP Ian Murray said "I've never seen scenes like it at the entrance to a voting lobby.
"Whips screaming at Tories. Two Tory whips dragging people in. Shocking."
Unverified reports suggest the deputy chief whip, Craig Whittaker, told his colleagues: "I am f------ furious and I don't give a f--- any more."
He and chief whip Wendy Morton reportedly quit amid the chaos.
However, Number 10 confirmed later on Wednesday that both were still in their posts.
'An utter shambles'
Nicola Sturgeon has condemned chaotic scenes as an "utter shambles", as the SNP's Westminster leader said Liz Truss would quit if she had "an ounce of decency or any self-respect".
There were farcical scenes in Westminster as the Government appeared to perform another U-turn on a threat to strip the whip from Conservative MPs if they backed a fracking ban, after a series of Tories signalled they would not take part in the vote.
The Scottish First Minister tweeted: "An utter shambles. This can't go on. General Election now."
The SNP's Westminster leader, and MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, Ian Blackford, said: "The utter chaos at the centre of the Tory Government cannot continue any longer. It's wrecking the economy and damaging people's mortgages, pensions and incomes.
"If she had an ounce of decency, or any self-respect, the Prime Minister would resign before she is inevitably forced from office. And then there must be an election."