British PM Liz Truss under more pressure as Suella Braverman quits as Home Secretary

British PM Liz Truss dealt more blows as Suella Braverman resigns as Home Secretary and a Tory MP is ‘bullied’ over fracking vote.

Suella Braverman (left) has resigned as British Home Secretary during another difficult day for PM Liz Truss (right).

Suella Braverman has resigned as British Home Secretary, sending a withering message to besieged prime minister Liz Truss who has now lost two ministers in her short reign in yet another day of upheaval at Westminster.

But that was then followed by dramatic scenes in the House of Commons over a Labour motion on fracking – considered a vote of confidence in Ms Truss’s government.

Labour MP Chris Bryant said he saw Tory MP Alex Stafford, an anti-fracking MP from South Yorkshire, being “physically manhandled into the lobby”. He said he had been corralled by deputy Therese Coffey and Business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg as part of a group of 10 to 12 people. The group then appeared to force Mr Stafford into the no lobby.

Mr Bryant said there was also aggressive pointing. “What I saw was bullying,’’ he said.

“The government is in complete and utter chaos.”

Another Labour MP, Lloyd Russell Moyle, tweeted: “Just seen Tory whips manhandling a crying Tory MP into their lobby for fracking. You couldn’t make this toxic stuff up, nasty to see the Tories at work, if this is how they treat their MPs spare a thought for the country.”

Just seen Tory whips manhandling a crying Tory MP into their lobby for fracking. You couldn’t make this toxic stuff up, nasty to see the Tories at work, if this is how they treat their MPs spare a thought for the country.

— Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP🌹🏳️‍🌈 (@lloyd_rm) October 19, 2022

The speaker of the house announced an immediate investigation.

Amidst the mayhem, there was more confusion over Wendy Morton, who was reported to have vacated her position as Chief Whip. Ms Truss was seen in the whips office late in the evening (this morning AEDT) and soon after, 10 Downing Street confirmed both Ms Morton and Deputy Chief Craig Whittaker remained in their posts.

The turmoil comes less than a week after Ms Truss sacked her close friend Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Of Mr Bryant’s accusations he was manhandled, Mr Stafford said: “Lots of rumours flying around tonight. This vote was never about fracking but about Labour trying to destabilise the country, and take control of Parliament. I had a frank and robust conversation outside the voting lobbies confirming my opposition to fracking.”

Mr Rees Mogg denied to Sky News that anything improper occurred and said the huddle was reassuring people about the situation, as there was confusion about whether the vote was a confidence motion.

He said a junior member of Downing Street had sent a message though that had contradicted the earlier instructions from the Chief Whip saying the vote wasn’t one of confidence.

'It was simply an unfortunate miscommunication'

Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg claims that a junior official at No10 "sent a message through to the front bench saying it's not a vote of confidence" and that most members believed it was one

👉 https://t.co/e016f4Criapic.twitter.com/52Rbw6XRdX

— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 19, 2022

While Mr Rees Mogg conceded an MP swore as he entered the lobby, he said allegations of bullying were mistaken. And while Labour MPs’ use of mobile phones was a breach of etiquette, he said they may help determine what occurred.

Tory MP Charles Walker, however, told the BBC that the damage to the Conservatives had been extraordinary.

“This whole affair is inexcusable, a pitiful reflection of the Conservative party at every level, and reflects really badly on the government of the day,” he said.

“This was an absolute disgrace; it is a shambles and a disgrace, it is utterly appalling.

“I have had enough of talentless people putting a tick in the right box not because of the national interest, but their personal interest to achieve ministerial ambitions.’’

Charles Walker MP's seething BBC News interview including "I've had enough of talentless people" is 110% X Factor Boot Camp pic.twitter.com/dzfMnG5xEI

— Nick Walker (@nickw84) October 19, 2022

Ms Braverman had earlier departed from her role of just 43 days after mistakenly sending an official document from her personal email “to a trusted parliamentary colleague”.

She was replaced by Grant Schapps, who – like the new chancellor of the exchequer, Jeremy Hunt who took over from Kwasi Kwartang last Friday – has been a strong supporter of the Tories’ other leadership contender, Rishi Sunak.

Ms Braverman said the mistakenly-sent note was a draft ministerial statement on migration, and was due to be released on Thursday.

In her resignation letter, Ms Braverman said: “I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility; I resign.”

She also sent a damning message to Ms Truss to take a similar action for her own mistakes.

Ms Truss is battling to remain as prime minister despite issuing an apology for going too far and too fast in her low tax, high growth plans, which caused dramatic moves in the price of borrowings on the financial markets.

Ms Braverman wrote: “The business of government relies upon people accepting responsibility for their mistakes. Pretending we haven’t made mistakes, carrying on as if can’t see that we have made them, and hoping that things will magically come right is not serious politics.

“Not only have we broken key pledges that were promised to our voters, but I have had serious concerns about this government’s commitment to honouring manifesto commitments, such as reducing overall migration numbers and stopping illegal migration, particularly the dangerous small boats crossings.”

This morning (AEST), Ms Truss was facing open rebellion in a vote on introducing fracking to help deal with the energy crisis that has enveloped the country.

However, the vote was defeated easily in favour of the government by a majority of 96.