NEWBURY'S MP has been stripped of the Conservative whip after voting against the government yesterday but wants to remain in the party.

Richard Benyon is a former minister in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and has been the MP for Newbury since 2005.

He voted against the government to give MPs control of the agenda in parliament.

However, the government threatened any Tory MPs to vote the same as the government or they would have their whip withdrawn.

Mr Benyon joins 20 other Tories who have been stripped of the Conservative whip and effectively barred from standing at the next general election in retaliation for rebelling over Brexit.

However, he still wants to remain in the Conservative party.

Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire, Mr Benyon said: "I will sit where I have always sat in parliament.

"I will support the prime minister's energetic domestic agenda and I hope that in time I will be able to continue as a Conservative MP but if I cant it's really not about me."

At this point, Mrs Derbyshire questioned his plan to remain in the Conservative party despite effectively being "chucked out".

He said: "You will not see me sit in a different place or any of my colleagues.

"We were elected as Conservative MPs.

"We will speak in debates, I will vote with the government on every occasion that I can and I will try and support the prime minister's very admirable domestic agenda on issues like climate change, which I have campaigned for."

He continued to explain this is not about him.

He said: "This is about this country, it's about the people we represent and on the grade of awfulness if this is no deal Brexit, a Corbyn led government is out of all proportion worse."

Today, MPs want to introduce a bill to force the government to ask for an extension to leaving the EU if no deal can be agreed.

Amongst other Tories to have been removed from the party is Kenneth Clarke.

He is the veteran MP for Rushcliffe since 1970, a former chancellor, home secretary, justice secretary, health secretary and education secretary and the Father of the House.

Additionally, Philip Hammond, Theresa May's chancellor until July, and previously foreign secretary, defence secretary, transport secretary has been stripped of the Conservative whip.

As the MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, he promised the"fight of a lifetime" if the leadership tried to block him from standing as the Tory candidate at the next election.