Rory Stewart’s looming departure from politics in Penrith and the Border has left a bitter scene of deep divisions.

Three of Penrith and the Border Conservative Association’s most senior figures have now resigned their positions and their party memberships in solidarity with Mr Stewart.

Robert Craig, who resigned his Tory Party membership and position as association president in the wake of Mr Stewart’s suspension from the Conservatives, said he felt let down by a local party he sees as having abandoned Mr Stewart by not backing him in his stance against Prime Minister Boris Johnson over Brexit.

“It’s become clear during the past few weeks that I no longer feel I can support the current direction of the Conservative Party,” Mr Craig said.

He added that he felt certain elements among the Penrith Conservatives “deters the inclusion and involvement of many more moderate constituents and supporters”, and represented “the very worst of local politics”.

The leading dairy farmer was particularly disappointed in the local association’s executive committee, who shortly before Mr Stewart’s announcement that he was to step down as the Penrith MP voted to suspend him from the Conservative Party.

Of the Penrith Tory executive membership, only two refused to vote for Mr Stewart’s suspension - chairman David Beeby and southern area chairwoman Libby Bateman.

Both have since resigned their positions and membership.

New chairwoman of the Penrith and the Border Tories, Helen Fearon, said: “Mr Stewart was suspended from his membership of the association at that meeting – suspension being a neutral act.

“He has subsequently of his own volition resigned from the Conservative Party.”

But Mr Craig remains convinced that the vote to suspend Mr Stewart from the party played a key role in his decision to stand down as a constituency MP.

“That was pivotal in Rory’s decision process,” he said. “He knew he would find it very difficult to come back and work alongside these people and build bridges.”

Deputy chairman of the Penrith association, James Bainbridge, thanked Mr Craig for his near decade as its president, adding that he was was sorry he felt he could not stay in the party.

But the Carlisle City councillor added: “I am disappointed that his parting gesture is to attack the volunteers who remain and give their time to manage Penrith and the Border Conservative

association.”

Mr Craig, a self-described political moderate, said the bitter divisions among the association was representative of the state of the party as a whole.

“I don’t think our association is any different from any other,” he said, adding that he was afraid those like himself who identified with the centre ground - believing that Brexit should happen but not without a deal with the EU - will be driven away like he feels he has been.

“I was one good argument away from voting to leave the EU,” he said.

“I’m by no means what some call a ‘remoaner’.”

Ms Bateman echoed this sentiment on social media.

“Sadly the party no longer represents vast swathes of us,” she wrote.