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Labour MP alleges Tories were ‘bullied’ in voting lobby
Labour MP Chris Bryant said Alexander Stafford, the Conservative MP for Rother Valley was “manhandled” and “bullied” in the voting lobby.
Bryant told Sky News: “There was a bunch of Conservative members who were completely uncertain about whether they were allowed to vote with the Labour motion because of what had been said in the chamber about whether it’s a free vote or a confidence vote.
“There was a group – including several cabinet ministers – who were basically shouting at them. At least one member was physically pulled through the door into the voting lobby.”
Key events
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There appears to have been some technical hiccups during the fracking vote.
James Duddridge MP said his card did not scan.
To be clear following tonight’s vote, I supported @trussliz and the government this evening. Appears that my card did not scan as I walked through the lobby.
— James Duddridge MP (@JamesDuddridge) October 19, 2022
And Downing Street told Sky News that Liz Truss did vote after all.
The prime minister was among a list of 40 Tory MPs listed as having abstained.
A spokesperson for Theresa May told Sky News the former prime minister was “paired” for the fracking vote earlier this evening.
She was listed as among those who abstained.
Pairing is when one MP makes an agreement with another MP who is voting the opposite way and they both agree not to vote.
Here is the footage of Conservative backbencher Charles Walker’s BBC interview over allegations of “bullying” during the vote on a possible fracking ban.
Conservative chief and deputy chief whip remain in post
The Conservative chief and deputy chief whip remain in post, Downing Street said.
It follows confusion over whether Wendy Morton and Craig Whittaker quit amid the chaos of the fracking vote, with reports earlier suggesting they had.
TalkTV’s Kate McCann says a Tory whip was “in tears” this evening, with emotions running high within the party.
Understand a Tory whip was in tears this evening after the mess over the fracking vote. Both chief and deputy so livid they walked out and MPs left with no idea what was going on. Emotions running so high tonight, not clear how the party comes back together after this
— Kate McCann (@KateEMcCann) October 19, 2022
The deputy prime minister, Thérèse Coffey, has said the chief whip, Wendy Morton, did a “great job” with the fracking vote.
Speaking to reporters outside the Carlton Club in central London, where Cabinet members were meeting on Wednesday evening, the close Liz Truss ally said: “It was a great victory today for the chief whip, great credit to her.
“The chief whip did a great job.”
Rumours have been swirling all evening that both Wendy Morton and Craig Whittaker, the deputy chief whip, have resigned their posts. (See 20.32)
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, has said if the embattled prime minister had “an ounce of decency, or any self-respect” she would quit before she is forced out by her MPs.
Blackford said: “Liz Truss needs to go – and she needs to go now.
“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.”
Voting scenes ‘inexcusable’, ‘absolute disgrace’ and ‘pitiful reflection’ on party, says Tory MP
A Conservative MP has described the chaos in the House of Commons as “inexcusable” and an “absolute disgrace”.
Sir Charles Walker, the MP for Broxbourne, told the BBC: “To be perfectly honest, this whole affair is inexcusable.
“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.”
This is an extraordinary video from Charles Walker. “To my colleagues who voted for this… for the ministerial office and the red box – I hope this was worth it” pic.twitter.com/9T58QJ7krC
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) October 19, 2022
Asked if there is any coming back from this, Sir Charles, visibly angry, said: “I don’t think so. And I have to say I’ve been of that view really since two weeks ago.
“This is an absolute disgrace, as a Tory MP of 17 years who’s never been a minister, who’s got on with it loyally most of the time, I think it’s a shambles and a disgrace.
“I think it is utterly appalling. I’m livid.”
From ITV’s Carl Dinnen on Liz Truss not voting.
One Conservative MP told me the PM was so busy dealing with the Chief Whip’s resignation that she missed the vote.
— Carl Dinnen (@carldinnen) October 19, 2022
From the Guardian’s Aubrey Allegretti on the speculation around the chief whip and deputy.
A Tory MP says the deputy chief whip, Craig Whittaker, just exclaimed as he exited the voting lobby: “I am fucking furious and I don’t give a fuck anymore.”
— Aubrey Allegretti (@breeallegretti) October 19, 2022
Thérèse Coffey denied she “manhandled” Tory MPs to force them to support the government in the fracking vote, according to sources close to the deputy prime minister.
“Absolutely she was encouraging [Conservative] MPs into the government lobby but she didn’t manhandle anyone,” they told the PA news agency.
Tory Rother Valley MP Alex Stafford said he had a “frank and robust conversation” with government ministers following claims that he had been “physically manhandled” into the “no” lobby.
Lots of rumours flying around tonight. This vote was never about fracking but about Labour trying to destabilise the country, and take control of Parliament. I had a frank and robust conversation outside the voting lobbies confirming my opposition to fracking,
— Alexander Stafford MP (@Alex_Stafford) October 19, 2022
Liz Truss does not vote in fracking motion
No votes were recorded for 40 Tory MPs including Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries, David Davis, Greg Clark, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Kwasi Kwarteng, Theresa May, Wendy Morton, Alok Sharma, Priti Patel and Ben Wallace, Sky News is reporting.
This is despite a three-line whip and all Tories being told earlier they must vote in favour of the government. Some may be on holiday or on government business.
Labour MP Chris Bryant said cabinet ministers Thérèse Coffey and Jacob Rees-Mogg were among a group of senior Tories who were putting pressure on Conservative MPs to vote against the Labour motion on fracking.
Rees-Mogg has denied this, telling Sky News there was “no action that I saw” in regards to any wrongful behaviour.
Asked if what he saw was bullying, he said: “From what I saw, no.”
The business secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said he was “not entirely clear what the situation is with chief whip” amid reports that Wendy Morton had resigned.
Labour MP alleges Tories were ‘bullied’ in voting lobby
Labour MP Chris Bryant said Alexander Stafford, the Conservative MP for Rother Valley was “manhandled” and “bullied” in the voting lobby.
Bryant told Sky News: “There was a bunch of Conservative members who were completely uncertain about whether they were allowed to vote with the Labour motion because of what had been said in the chamber about whether it’s a free vote or a confidence vote.
“There was a group – including several cabinet ministers – who were basically shouting at them. At least one member was physically pulled through the door into the voting lobby.”
Labour’s Chris Bryant said he saw MPs being “physically manhandled” and “bullied” in the voting lobbies.
From the i’s Jane Merrick.
Commons veteran Chris Bryant says he saw members being “physically manhandled” and bullied into a voting lobby and calls for an investigation into what happened. Says this goes against behaviour code of MPs
— Jane Merrick (@janemerrick23) October 19, 2022
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