Crunch Commons vote on fracking descends into farce

More than 40 Tories fail to back Liz Truss's government amid allegations MPs were manhandled

A crunch Commons vote on the future of fracking has descended into mayhem after more than 40 Conservative MPs failed to back Liz Truss's government, with MPs alleging ministers physically pulled some wavering Tories into the voting lobbies.

Shortly after the vote, there were reports that the chief whip, Wendy Morton, and her deputy, Craig Whittaker, had lost their jobs. However, Downing Street later cleared up the rumours by saying the pair remain in post".