Former Tory Business Secretary Greg Clark forced to deny defection to anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats

EX-TORY Cabinet minister Greg Clark is forced to deny he is on the verge of joining the Lib Dems as speculation reaches fever pitch among Tory MPs.

In what would be the biggest defection to the anti-Brexit party so far, rumours swept around a Tory MPs’ Whatsapp groups that the former Business Secretary would be unveiled by leader Jo Swinson as a Lib Dem MP ahead of her keynote speech to party conference on Tuesday.

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Tory insiders said he had been put-off the idea by the Lib Dems' new policy to revoke Article 50 without holding a referendum.

A source close to Mr Clark said talk of his defection was "complete rubbish" but others pointed out that defectors such as Sam Gyimah had given the same response before they jumped ship.

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And it would swell the Lib Dems' number of MPs to 18 - six more than they won at the last election.

There was also speculation last night that former Tory Heidi Allen could become the latest MP to join the resurgent anti-Brexit party.

Mr Clark would be the second sacked Tory rebel to join the party to join the Lib Dems within three days and would also join fellow ex-Tory MPs Sam Gyimah, Sarah Wollaston and Philip Lee.

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