NEWTON Abbot’s MP has hit back after having the Conservative whip removed from her again after voting against the Government.

Following her column on energy in this week’s Mid-Devon Advertiser, Ms Morris voted with Labour’s opposition day motion proposing removing VAT on household energy bills.

She was the only Tory MP to vote in favour of the opposition day motion on Tuesday, which was defeated by 319 votes to 229.

The action has been taken against the MP for Newton Abbot by Downing Street and the whips office following the debate yesterday, Tuesday.

This means Ms Morris will once again sit as an independent, bringing the total number of MPs taking the Tory whip down to 360.

Anne Marie Morris MP, Member of Parliament for Newton Abbot told the Mid-Devon Advertiser: ‘It is deeply disappointing to have had the Whip removed by the Government, especially on a matter of simply standing up for what I believed to be the best interests of my constituents. 

‘Yesterday’s Opposition Day debate on removing VAT on household energy bills was an issue that I have voiced my support for a number of times, not least in my weekly column on Monday.

‘I believe removing VAT is the right thing to do and I won’t apologise for supporting measures that would help my hard-working constituents at a time when the cost of living is rising. 

‘I fully appreciate that the Government’s opposition to the motion was more to do with the way in which the Opposition worded the motion and parliamentary procedural technicalities of them taking over the order of business on a future day.

‘To be clear, had that happened (unlikely given the Government’s majority) and the Opposition had tabled a Bill that I disagreed with, then I would have voted against it.

‘Having said that, I’m afraid I believe that any disagreement over parliamentary procedure will always come second to standing up for the best interests of my constituents. People are struggling with their energy bills and action is needed and it’s needed now. 

I remain strongly committed to Conservative principles and supporting a Conservative government that acts in the best interests of the country. But I will always vote on the issues of the day, whatever they may be, in the best interests of my constituents in Teignbridge as well as the wider country.’

The issue on energy bills comes at a time when the government are looking to address a cost-of-living crisis, set to worsen in April when the energy price cap rises sharply on the back of soaring wholesale prices.

Ms Morris had the whip removed once before in 2017 following comments she made at the launch of a report into the future for the UK’s financial sector after Brexit. She had the whip suspended by her party, which meant that although she was still an MP, she was no longer a Conservative MP.

The whip was restored in December 2017.