Chaos continues: Number 10 says fracking motion WAS vote of confidence and rebels face ‘disciplinary action’
Liz Truss sent a late-night memo to Tory MPs telling them Wednesday evening’s motion on fracking was confidence vote after all – and rebels “ can expect proportionate disciplinary action.”
Number 10 sent the note just after 1.30am after confusion and anger dominated the vote in Commons last night, amid accusations of physical assaults and swearing.
Ministers including Jacob Rees-Mogg said it was unclear whether it was indeed a vote of confidence in the government, with 40 Tory MPs, including Kwasi Kwarteng, not voting for the motion.
Further chaos ensued with reports both the chief whip and deputy chief whip had resigned, a move which they later rescinded, according to reports.
This comes after Home Secretary Suella Braverman shocked Westminster by resigning on Wednesday, after being told to go over an alleged ‘security breach.’ Grant Shapps took over as Home Secretary.
With Liz Truss’ premiership seemingly hanging by a thread, and backbench MPs taking to TV interviews to label the situation a “shambles” and “disgrace, Number 10 published a note in the early hours of the morning.
Liz Truss insisted she would fight on.
Shared by The Guardian’s Pippa Crerar, Number 10 insisted the PM “has full confidence in the Chief and Deputy Chief Whip.”
“Throughout the day, the whips had treated the vote as a confidence motion.”
“The minister at the despatch box was told, mistakenly, by Downing Street to say that it was not.”
Insisting Tory MPs were “fully aware” it was a three-line whip to support the government, Truss said the party would now be “speaking to Conservative MPs who failed to support” it and any “without a reasonable excuse for failing to vote with the government can expect proportionate disciplinary action.”