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| Lib Dem Tessa Munt quits as Vince Cable aide over fracking | Lib Dem Tessa Munt quits as Vince Cable aide over fracking |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Lib Dem MP Tessa Munt has resigned as a parliamentary aide to Business Secretary Vince Cable after voting against the government on fracking. | |
| Ms Munt defied the party whip to support a rebel amendment calling for a moratorium on the extraction technique. | Ms Munt defied the party whip to support a rebel amendment calling for a moratorium on the extraction technique. |
| The Wells MP initially said she intended to remain in her role despite breaching the principle of collective ministerial responsibility. | |
| But a spokesman for Mr Cable later confirmed she had quit as his aide. | |
| The spokesman said: "Tessa Munt has resigned from her position as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Vince Cable. | The spokesman said: "Tessa Munt has resigned from her position as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Vince Cable. |
| "Both the secretary of state for business [Mr Cable] and the deputy prime minister [Nick Clegg] thank Tessa for the work she has done in government but understand her strength of feeling on this issue and have, therefore, accepted her resignation." | "Both the secretary of state for business [Mr Cable] and the deputy prime minister [Nick Clegg] thank Tessa for the work she has done in government but understand her strength of feeling on this issue and have, therefore, accepted her resignation." |
| New conditions | New conditions |
| The rebel amendment, which attracted cross-party support, was put forward during a debate on the government's Infrastructure Bill on Monday. | The rebel amendment, which attracted cross-party support, was put forward during a debate on the government's Infrastructure Bill on Monday. |
| The Commons Environmental Audi Committee had warned there were "huge uncertainties" about the environmental impact of the controversial shale gas extraction technique. | The Commons Environmental Audi Committee had warned there were "huge uncertainties" about the environmental impact of the controversial shale gas extraction technique. |
| However, MPs overwhelmingly defeated the bid to suspend fracking while an assessment is carried out, by 308 votes to 52 - although the government did agree to 13 new conditions, proposed by Labour, to be met before fracking can take place. | However, MPs overwhelmingly defeated the bid to suspend fracking while an assessment is carried out, by 308 votes to 52 - although the government did agree to 13 new conditions, proposed by Labour, to be met before fracking can take place. |
| These included the completion of an environmental assessment and the need to consult residents on an individual basis. | |
| A ban on drilling in national parks was another of the suggestions in the Environmental Audit Committee's report. | A ban on drilling in national parks was another of the suggestions in the Environmental Audit Committee's report. |
| Ms Munt, a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Mr Cable, said she backed the amendment "on principle". | |
| PPS's would normally be expected to resign, or face the sack, for voting against the government, as it breaches collective ministerial responsibility. | |
| However, in her initial statement on Tuesday Ms Munt said she remained as an aide to Mr Cable, and would continue to campaign against fracking. | |
| By Tuesday evening a spokesman for the business secretary said Ms Munt had resigned. |