Welsh MPs say Tory members ‘manhandled’ into supporting fracking vote
Two Welsh politicias have claimed MPs were being “manhandled” into supporting the Government during a vote on fracking in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Shadow minister Anna McMorrin wrote on Twitter that she witnessed one Conservative MP “in tears” in the lobby, while Rhondda MP Chris Bryant posted picture evidence of what he said was the moment one Conservative MP was “physically manhandled into the lobby”.
Anna McMorrin, who is the Labour MP for Cardiff North, tweeted: “Extraordinary stuff happening here during the vote on fracking which is apparently ‘not a confidence vote’.
“I’ve just witnessed one Tory member in tears being manhandled into the lobby to vote against our motion to continue the ban on fracking.”
Astonishing
David Linden, MP for Glasgow East, tweeted that he had “just watched the Deputy Prime Minister practically pick up a hesitant Tory MP and march him into the Government lobby” and added that it was “Astonishing”.
Labour MP Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said he witnessed “Whips screaming at Tories” and described it as “open warfare”.
Mr Murray tweeted: “I’ve never seen scenes like it at the entrance to a voting lobby.
“Tories on open warfare. Jostling and Rees-Mogg shouting at his colleagues. Whips screaming at Tories. They are done and should call a general election.
“Two Tory whips dragging people in. Shocking.”
Meanwhile, Labour MP Tulip Siddiq described the vote as “shambolic”.
The MP for Hampstead and Kilburn tweeted: “Wow. Astonishing scenes in the voting lobbies. Tory mps literally being carried through to vote for fracking. So shambolic.”
‘Manhandled’
Labour MP Chris Bryant has said cabinet ministers Therese 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.
Mr Bryant told Sky News that one MP, Alex Stafford, had been “physically manhandled” into the “no” lobby.
“There was a bunch of Conservative Members obviously completely uncertain whether they were allowed to vote with the Labour or against it,” he said.
“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. That is completely out of order.
“I know that Therese Coffey was in the group. I know that Jacob Rees-Mogg was in the group and there were others as well. The group all moved forward with one member.
“It was Alex Stafford. He was to my mind physically manhandled into the lobby.”
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The only reason we in Cymru have any semblance of democracy is that we have our own PRECIOUS (and this shows how precious it is) Parliament. We do not have it at Westminster level as long as a Tory government is in power and now we find out that even Tories inside the house cannot vote against their own government without fear of bullying and physical manhandling and harassment. This must be the very bottom of the barrel. Tories out and end the Empire.
You just know, they can go lower.
I fear so but the bottom of the barrel must be somewhere mustn’t it?
Absolutely hilarious show tonight. I look forward to the next episode.
Not much of an “insurance policy” though.
This is what Conservative voters call democracy, although they will go on national radio and say they’re not part of this sh*show, about time they took ownership of the government they put into downing Street.
Torys new theme tune:
https://youtu.be/xLj3j_N-l38
An international laughing stock, as reported across the globe, and some people still want to be part of it, and think it is good for us in Cymru. I do despair on times.
tories in tears being manhandled? ideally I’d like to see that sentence ending with “into a skip”, but I’ll take it.
After this display of so called democracy, if our Gov are not doing what Scotland are, by preparing for Indy, they need a good kick up the rear. Scenes like this are for, sorry were for ” banana republic ” “tin pot” dictatorships, which we now appear to be. I can not believe that our leader a week ago claimed we benefit from this shambles. We have not had a functioning UK gov, since Boris was told to go, did it even function while he was leader? The utter incompetence of Truss and Quarteng, allied with reappointing failed former ministers… Read more »