MP Chris Bryant has made claims that MPs were ‘bullied’ into voting Picture: Sky News)
MPs were ‘manhandled’ and ‘bullied’ into voting a certain way in Parliament, it has been claimed.
In extraordinary scenes it was claimed by MP Chris Bryant that some members were forced to vote in a particular way by ‘force’.
He said the MP involved was Alex Stafford. He said in the 21 years he has been an MP he had never seen anything like it.
Shadow minister Anna McMorrin wrote on Twitter that she witnessed one Conservative MP ‘in tears’ in the lobby.
Ms 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.’
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.’
Bryant also made accusations that Jacob Rees Mogg and Deputy PM, Therese Coffey were involved in the stunt.
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The Chief Whip has also resigned in extraordinary scenes in Parliament.