Two of three MPs in the district voted with the Government in this week’s controversial Euro referendum vote.

None of the three Conservatives chose to defy the Government and side with backbench Eurosceptic MPs trying to provoke the UK’s departure from the EU.

Julian Brazier of Canterbury and Whitstable and Hugh Robertson of Faversham and Mid-Kent supported the Government, which does not yet want a referendum on Britain’s future in the EU, while Roger Gale of North Thanet is in Tunisia monitoring elections.

Mr Brazier said: "I have concerns about what’s going on in Europe and I think there will be a referendum eventually.

"But that will have to come after we have renegotiated our position. That is something we must do first so that we can go to the people and ask them whether this new position is something they want.

"Most people want to remain part of the free trade area, but shed all these regulations."

Mr Robertson, who is also the minister for sport, said: "I believe in the repatriation of powers from Brussels to London, but against the backdrop now of a crisis in the Eurozone and it’s effect on our own economy, this is not an appropriate time for an in/out referendum.

"Furthermore, I did not make commitment to people at the last election that I would support this. It is a backbench movement and the timing of it is appalling."

The backbench motion was defeated by 483 votes to 111 with 81 Tories known to have supported it.

Professor Richard Whitman of Kent University is an expert on European politics and says the issue still has the power to divide mainstream parties.

"The Coalition Government has so far pursued a low-key Europe strategy attempting to keep the EU out of the public eye and to avoid public spats with other EU member states," he said.

He added: "This vote has brought the EU back into the limelight in British politics and exposed the difficulties for the coalition in maintaining a non-divisive policy on Europe."

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