During the meeting Mr Grieve was branded a “traitor”, “liar” and “disgusting” but leaked internal party emails reveal several of the new members were from other political parties. The Beaconsfield Conservative Party confidence vote was even tabled by the Ukip candidate who Mr Grieve defeated in the 2017 General Election. Party officials recorded their suspicions last July in an email seen by the Guardian.

It said: “About 20 people have joined Beaconsfield Conservative Association online via the via the CCHQ website in the last week. Cross-referencing them with our canvas returns I can see that some of them have been canvassed as anti.

“I reckon this is organised infiltration and seek your permission to reject those applications indicate they are supporters of another party.”

In the last year, 200 people joined the Beaconsfield Conservative Party which is considerably more than other constituencies, many of which have seen a drop in numbers.

Mr Grieve’s supporters believe his high-profile opposition to leaving the EU attracted Brexiteers.

However, the former UKIP candidate who put forward the motion of no confidence, Jon Conway, told Conservative members that fears of infiltration by none-Tories were overblown.

He said: “I took the decision to fight City Hall from within and resigned as Ukip chairman to join the Tory Party a year ago.”

A Conservative Party spokesman told The Times local parties had to follow procedure when accepting new members.

He said: “The Conservative Party welcomes new members from a wide variety of backgrounds provided they share our aims and values. Local associations have a process to approve, or reject members who apply to join and we support them in that work to ensure that they take action if needed.”

Former attorney general Mr Grieve lost the confidence vote by 182 to 131 but it is not formally recognised by the party and does not have the same ramifications than deselection votes.

Mr Grieve, 62, said: “I have no desire to leave the Conservative Party at all. My association have made their views known and I have to recognise that.

Seeing the divided nature of the Conservative Party on Brexit, it would be astonishing if there was consensus in my constituency about Brexit, or for that matter, my own actions.”

The no confidence vote sparked a wave of goodwill from serving Tory MPs and party grandees.

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted: “Sad to hear about Dominic Grieve. We disagree about the EU but he is a good man and a true Conservative.”

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