Liz Truss’s government has been thrust further into disarray with the apparent resignation of her chief whip in a row over a contentious vote on fracking.
Wendy Morton and her deputy Craig Whittaker are understood to have quit after a minister withdrew the threat that the Commons division would be treated as a vote of confidence in the Government.
And there were complaints that Tory MPs considering voting with Labour to ban fracking were shouted at within the voting lobbies and even physically manhandled into the No lobby by ministers.
Labour MP Chris Bryant identified deputy prime minister Therese Coffey and business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg as being among those present, though he did not accuse them of being involved in misbehaviour.
Several Conservative MPs had made clear their intention to revolt over the controversial gas extraction method, despite Ms Morton issuing a three-line whip and telling them it was a vote of confidence which could result in expulsion from the party for rebels.
MPs were alerted to the chief whip’s apparent resignation by Labour’s shadow leader of the Commons, Thangam Debbonnaire, who told the House: “There are very strong rumours that the government chief whip has apparently resigned.”
Mr Bryant told the deputy speaker: “I would urge you to launch an investigation into the scenes outside the entrance to the No lobby earlier.
“As you know, members are expected to be able to vote without fear or favour and the behaviour code which is agreed by the whole of the House says there shall never be bullying or harassment.
“I saw members being physically manhandled into another lobby and being bullied.
“If we want to stand up against bullying in this House of our staff, we have to stop bullying in this chamber as well.”
But Mr Rees-Mogg told Sky News that there was no bullying or manhandling but a “perfectly normal discussion” between parliamentary colleagues.
He said that there was a lot of confusion about whether or not the division was a confidence vote, and said he had been providing “reassurance” to MPs. He confirmed that one person had used a swear-word when urging people to vote, but insisted this was directed at the whole group and not at an individual.
Senior Conservative MP Sir Charles Walker said he was “livid” about today’s events.
“It is a pitiful reflection on the Conservative parliamentary party at every level, and it reflects really badly – obviously – on the government of the day,” he told the BBC.
