THERE have been calls for a bullying investigation after a Commons vote ended in chaos tonight, in another sign of Liz Truss’s government fragile grip on power.

Tory MPs were reportedly shouted at and “manhandled“ into the Government voting lobby amid confusion and resentment over a motion about fracking.

Nicola Sturgeon called it an "utter shambles" and called for an immediate general election.

The Labour motion would have teed up a more substantial debate and vote next week on banning fracking, which was a Tory manifesto pledge that Ms Truss now wants to reverse.

Tory whips had warned colleagues the vote was being treated as a vote of confidence in the Government itself, meaning they would lose the party whip if they rebelled. 

However, with several Tory MPs saying they would defy the party line regardless of the consequences, the Government announced at the last moment that it was not a vote of confidence after all.

It led to shambolic scenes in the voting lobbies, with reports of ministers shouting at junior colleagues and unconfirmed report Tory chief whip Wendy Morton had resigned.

Her deputy Craig Whittaker was also said by MPs to have also quit, leaving the voting lobby declaring: “I am f***ing furious and I don’t give a f*** anymore.”

Although the Government won the vote by 326 to 230, a majority of 96, it led to bitter recriminations among Tory MPs.

It also emerged that, despite a three-line whip obliging them to take part, 40 Tory MPs abstained, some because they were abroad, but not all.

They included the Tory chief whip Wendy Morton, as well Liz Truss, former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and former Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Tory MP Sir Charles Walker said: “To be perfectly honest, this whole affair is inexcusable.

“It is a pitiful reflection on the Conservative Parliamentary Party at every level and it reflects really badly obviously on the Government of the day.”

Asked if there is any coming back from this, Sir Charles, visibly angry, told the BBC: “I don’t think so. And I have to say I’ve been of that view really since two weeks ago.

“This is an absolute disgrace, as a Tory MP of 17 years who’s never been a minister, who’s got on with it loyally most of the time, I think it’s a shambles and a disgrace. I think it is utterly appalling. I’m livid.”

Labour MP Anna McMorrin 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, the SNP 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”.

The Edinburgh South MP tweeted: “I’ve never seen scenes like it at the entrance to a voting lobby. 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.”

After the vote was announced, Labour MP Chris Bryant urged Commons deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Lang to investigate the “scenes outside the entrance to the No lobby” and alleged MPs were “bullied” and “physically manhandled” to vote.

Raising a point of order, the MP for Rhondda said: “I would urge you to launch an investigation into the scenes outside the entrance to the No lobby earlier.

“As you know, members are expected to be able to vote without fear or favour and the behaviour code which is agreed by the whole of the House says there shall never be bullying or harassment.

“I saw members being physically manhandled into another lobby and being bullied.

“If we want to stand up against bullying in this House of our staff, we have to stop bullying in this chamber as well.”

Dame Eleanor replied: “The honourable member raises an important matter about behaviour and he knows better than anyone else that we have an extremely good system for investigating allegations of bullying, intimidation or bad behaviour.

“And if the honourable gentleman cares to bring evidence and facts to me, I will make sure that the matter is properly investigated.”

Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain, the MP for North East Fife and a former police officer, said there appeared to be grounds for an investigation.

She said: “There should be a degree of censure for that kind of behaviour. 

“There are plenty of eyewitnesses, frankly. There will not be just eyewitnesses who are other MPs, they will be doorkeepers et cetera.

“It is a horrendous loss of discipline and, just frankly, what message does it send to the country that people feel it is appropriate to behave in that way in this place when they are supposed to be representing their constituents?”

Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said he didn’t see any bullying.

He told the PA news agency: “There were discussions going on, and there was a discussion about the vote that was taking place, and this was what normally goes on outside the division lobby.

“I heard one person swear and use an expletive… a Conservative when going into the division lobby, swear and say, sort of ‘get on with it’, but he wasn’t saying it to an individual.”

He added: “I didn’t see any bullying and I saw nobody being manhandled.”

Asked if there was a breakdown in party discipline, he said: “The Government won the vote with a majority of 90. This is a Government that is functioning well.”

Deputy Prime Minister and close Liz Truss ally Therese Coffey later said the Chief Whip Wendy Morton had done a “great job”.

Speaking to reporters outside the Carlton Club in central London, where Cabinet members were meeting, she said: “It was a great victory today for the Chief Whip, great credit to her.

“The Chief Whip did a great job.”