All Oxfordshire's Conservative MPs voted against a Labour motion on banning fracking

All Oxfordshire's Conservative MPs voted against a Labour motion on banning fracking last night.

John Howell, Victoria Prentis, Robert Courts and David Johnston voted against the motion.

Labour MP Anneliese Dodds and Lib Dem Layla Moran voted for it.

Labour’s fracking ban motion was defeated by 230 votes to 326, with the division list showing around 40 Conservative MPs did not vote, including Boris Johnson and Theresa May.

Many of them would have had permission to be absent.

A Downing Street spokesman said the whips would be speaking to the Tories who failed to support the Government, and those without a “reasonable excuse” would face “proportionate disciplinary action” – although that does not necessarily mean they would have the whip removed.

Conservative MPs were first ordered by whips to vote down the anti-fracking motion, with anyone who defied instructions expected to lose the whip.

Speaking ahead of the vote, however, Climate Minister Graham Stuart said the motion “is not a confidence vote”.

No 10 later said Mr Stuart had been “mistakenly” told by Downing Street to say the vote should not be treated as a confidence motion, and that Conservative MPs were “fully aware” it was subject to a three-line whip.

Allegations of ministers bullying Conservative MPs during the vote are under investigation by the parliamentary authorities.

Opposition politicians claimed one Conservative MP was “physically manhandled” into the “No” lobby to ensure he opposed the motion.

This morning David Johnston MP for Wantage and Didcot has posted on Facebook: "The Government has been very clear fracking will only happen with local consent and if it is deemed safe.

"I can categorically say I would vote against any attempt to get around this. If local people in the constituency do not want it, which I know is likely to be the case, it will simply not happen.

"I should note that there have never been any licenses awarded for fracking in Oxfordshire in any case."

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