Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark faces a fight for political survival after joining a rebellion against his own government over a no-deal Brexit.

The former business minister is likely to face a move to deselect him as the prospective parliamentary candidate for the seat that he has held since 2005.

Constituency party officials say they now expect a petition to be submitted calling for him to be sacked.

It is understood that a petition seeking to rule him out as the party’s prospective candidate could be submitted within days.

Mr Clark was among 21 Conservative MPs who defied the Tory whip and voted with the opposition parties to block a no-deal Brexit.

He said that he had done so knowing that it could cost him his career.

The chairman of the Tunbridge Wells Conservative Association Joe Simmons said he was aware that a petition was being circulated but nothing had been formally submitted. However, he said the fact that Mr Clark had joined the rebellion was likely to result in a call for a special meeting of the association sooner rather than later.

Under party rules any association that receives a petition signed by at least 50 members calling for a deselection must hold a meeting to debate it.

Mr Clark who has had the Conservative whip withdrawn along with other rebels explained why he had voted with the opposition parties in a tweet: “As a former Business Secretary I know the harm that an abrupt no deal Brexit would do to our country and to my constituents. Parliament must be able to prevent that harm. So I voted for the legislation tonight, fully aware of the personal consequences.”

Mr Clark represents one of the safest Conservative seats in Kent with a majority of 16,465.

He has made no secret of his misgivings over the prospect of a no-deal Brexit, warning in interviews before Boris Johnson took over as leader that there could be thousands of job losses if the UK left the EU without a deal.

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