Liz Truss is under even more pressure to quit after a vote on fracking saw the Tory party descend into chaos on Wednesday night.
Labour’s motion on whether there would be a vote on banning fracking sparked confusion among Tory MPs after party whips signalled the vote could actually be about confidence in the government.
That led to reports from opposition MPs of senior Tories “manhandling” junior members of the party in the House of Commons lobby. Labour MP Chris Bryant called on Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle to launch an investigation into Tory MPs being “bullied” into voting along with the government on the matter.
Bryant said: “I saw members being physically manhandled into another lobby, and being bullied. If we want to stand up against bullying in this house against our staff, we have to stop bullying in this chamber as well.”
To add to the confusion, both the chief whip Wendy Morton and deputy Craig Whittaker were reported to have resigned before the government later confirmed they both remained in post.
The government did win the vote – which came just hours after home secretary Suella Braverman quit – on the Ban on Fracking for Shale Gas Bill, by 326 votes to 230. But a number of Tory MPs did rebel.