Government makes fracking ban vote test of Tory loyalty

An attempt by Labour to ban fracking has been turned into a confidence vote in Liz Truss's government.

Labour wants to use a vote in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon to force the introduction of a draft law to ban the extraction of shale gas.

But the government has told Tory MPs they must vote against Labour, saying "we simply cannot allow this".

The BBC has seen a message sent to Tory MPs - telling them: "This is a confidence motion in the government."

A number of Conservative MPs oppose fracking, but they have been told they must support the government or face being expelled from the parliamentary party.

Labour has said the government has not confirmed what a defeat on this fracking vote would mean for Ms Truss's premiership.

"The consequence of making this a confidence vote is that if the government loses the motion on fracking, the prime minister will resign and the government will fall," shadow leader of the House of Commons Thangam Debbonaire said.

"The Tories must urgently confirm this is the case."

During an opposition debate later, Labour will put forward a motion which seeks to make time to table a bill that would ban fracking for good.

Last month, the UK government ended the fracking ban in England as part of its plan to limit rising energy costs.

Now Labour says it wants to give MPs a chance to overturn the decision, which broke a 2019 Tory manifesto promise.

In a message to Tory MPs, deputy chief whip Craig Whittaker said the government "cannot, under any circumstances, let the Labour Party take control of the order paper and put through their own legislation".

He said the party was voting "no" on Labour's motion, enforcing what's known as a three-line whip.

"I know this is difficult for some colleagues, but we simply cannot allow this. Please speak with your whip with any issues," the message from Mr Whittaker reads.

Last week, some Tory MPs told the BBC they were talking to opposition parties about ways they could block the government's fracking plans.

One Labour source said MPs in areas impacted by fracking "will have to consider their constituents before they troop through the lobbies".

Shadow climate change secretary Ed Miliband said the motion gave Tory MPs a "simple choice" between banning fracking and allowing the government to "impose" the practice on communities.

He said Labour was "standing up to Liz Truss's unjust charter for earthquakes", arguing "fracking would make no difference to energy prices".

"Every Conservative MP who opposes fracking must now put country over party and support Labour's ban on fracking," he said.