MPs have rejected a Labour motion that would guarantee parliamentary time for a bill to ban fracking.
Despite there being 357 Conservative MPs in Parliament, there were just 326 votes against Labour’s motion.
Conservative MPs were ordered by whips to vote down the anti-fracking motion, with anyone who defied instructions expected to lose the whip.
To stem Tory MPs’ fury at being ordered which way to vote on the controversial issue, Jacob Rees-Mogg said the issue of communities being able to approve or reject fracking in their area would be opened up to a public consultation. He also tabled an amendment to the motion.
Dozens of Tory backbenchers and ministers had previously voiced opposition to the resumption of shale gas drilling in England, so were placed in a difficult position when party whips said the motion would be treated as a confidence motion in Liz Truss’s government.
Find out how your MP voted using the tool below.
• This article was updated on 20 October 2022 to reflect a change in the official House of Commons data on the vote. While the data previously said that Liz Truss did not vote, it now says that she voted against the motion. It is not unusual for amendments to be made to the voting record in the hours after a vote. The fracking vote came amid chaotic scenes in the voting lobbies.
