Tory former defence secretary Michael Portillo summed up the Tory irritation at the fact that the deployment had been sprung on them.

BBC: Hoon wins Commons support

Michael Fallon, Tory MP for Sevenoaks, said Knole was a special case because the two sites were so far apart.

BBC: Knole Academy gets go-ahead for ?17.5m rebuild

He refused to meet a challenge by pro-Europeans led by Tory Michael Heseltine to head up the all-party Britain in Europe campaign.

BBC: Labour defeat sparks euro row