Whips stay in post after a night of chaos

In a sign of how chaotic tonight has been for the Conservative party, I have now been told that the Chief Whip Wendy Morton and her deputy Craig Whittaker have not left the government after all. I have spoken to Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker, who says: ‘I have just seen the deputy and he is categorical that neither he nor the chief have resigned.’ No. 10 has belatedly confirmed this too.

What seems to have happened is this. The whips instructed the party that the fracking vote would be a confidence issue this morning. It then became clear during the course of that debate that a number of Tory MPs didn't really care about losing the whip on this issue, presumably because they didn't think they'd have long to wait before a new leader restored it – or because it might become a badge of honour anyway. Downing Street then went directly to the minister – Graham Stuart – who was winding up the debate for the government, and told him to drop in that this wasn't a confidence issue. The whips didn't know and the first they learned of it was when Tory MPs went bananas. They bombarded them with messages as they went into the lobbies asking what on earth was happening. At this point Morton and Whittaker lost their tempers and left in a blaze of fury. 

I reported their exits at the time: Morton thundering about it being 'unbelievable' and Whittaker saying 'I am fucking furious and I don't give a fuck any more'. It was then assumed by all the MPs watching – and a number of people in Downing Street – that the whips had quit.

This is no way to treat a whips' office. But it also reflects the view of many Tory MPs that the whips weren't much cop anyway. Ever since Tory conference and the first U-turn on the mini-Budget, backbenchers were saying that Morton needed to be replaced because she lacked the presence and authority to get recalcitrant colleagues into the right lobby. That of course has been rather eclipsed by the lack of authority of the Prime Minister to get cabinet ministers to do what she wants.

It has been a terrible day for Truss. Steve Baker seems to be the only minister trying to offer some kind of government line and the rest of the cabinet is in turmoil after the departure of the Home Secretary and the entrance of Grant Shapps, who was openly plotting against Truss just days ago. After Prime Minister's Questions, it seemed Truss would survive for a little longer. Tomorrow she will face a furious whips' team and an even angrier Suella Braverman, who plans to give a statement to the Commons on her resignation. It feels as though someone just pressed the fast forward button again, and events are moving at 32 times the normal pace.