'I'm not going anywhere': Stafford's Tory MP defiant in face of bid to oust her

The Conservative MP was not chosen as the party's candidate for the next general election in a vote of Stafford Conservative Association members on Friday night.

But Ms Clarke said the vote – which took place just days after she had returned to work from maternity leave – was "not representative" as it involved less than 10 per cent of members.

She said she is "very confident" of winning a full ballot, which is expected to take place in the coming weeks following a request to Conservative HQ.

The 37-year-old, who was elected in 2019, has previously revealed she received abuse after announcing she was having a baby.

She told the Express & Star that less that 10 per cent of the local membership had taken part in last week's re-adoption vote.

"This is a small minority and it is particularly disappointing that it happened just a few days after returning to work from maternity leave," she said.

"I don't believe that their views are representative, which is why I have requested to Conservative central office for a postal ballot of my entire membership.

"I am very confident, having spoken to members over the last few days, that I will win the ballot. My record as an MP in Stafford speaks for itself. I'm not going anywhere."

Ms Clarke also moved to quash speculation that the de-selection bid was connected to members' support for Boris Johnson, after she quit as a trade envoy in July in opposition to the then-PM's leadership.

She said: "I genuinely don't believe that Boris was a factor at all in Friday night's decision."

Ms Clarke revealed in December that she had received dozens of phone calls from furious constituents criticising her for taking time off after giving birth to her daughter Arabella in August.

She also faced complaints that she didn't go out door knocking while heavily pregnant and recovering from surgery.

She said at the time: "I’ve decided to call out this abuse as I don’t believe that women should have to choose between being a politician and a mother.

"This is the 21st century and we can do both. And if we want to have a more inclusive and representative democracy then we need more women to stand for public office."