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Rory Stewart has revealed he was expelled from the Conservative Party “by text” while receiving GQ magazine’s ‘Politician of the Year’ award.

The former Tory leadership hopeful called the decision to throw him out of the party "astonishing" and said it was something "you associate with other countries" rather than Britain.

Asked how he received the news, Mr Stewart told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: "It came by text."

The Penrith and the Border MP attended GQ’s star-studded Men of the Year Awards last night, where he received the top prize for a politician.

GQ Men of the Year Awards 2019 arrivals 57 show all GQ Men of the Year Awards 2019 arrivals 1/57 David Beckham attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 2/57 Richard Madden attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 3/57 Nicole Kidman attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 4/57 Taron Egerton attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 5/57 Rita Ora attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 6/57 Elle Fanning attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 7/57 James Blunt attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 8/57 Anna Lundberg and Michael Sheen attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 9/57 Kylie Minogue attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 10/57 David, Victoria and Brooklyn Beckham attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 11/57 Guy Ritchie and Jacqui Ainsley attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 12/57 Greg James attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 13/57 Nick Grimshaw and Meschach Henry attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 14/57 Sir Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 15/57 Maya Jama attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 16/57 Stormzy attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 17/57 Willfried Zaha attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 18/57 Debbie Harry attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 19/57 James Middleon attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 20/57 Russell Tovey attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 21/57 Neelam Gill attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hug 22/57 Gordon and Tana Ramsay attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 23/57 Andrew Scott attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 24/57 Adwoa Aboah attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hug 25/57 Eric Underwood attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 26/57 Lilah Parsons attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 27/57 RIchard Biedul attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 28/57 DJ Fat Tony attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 29/57 Paul Sculfor attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 30/57 Oliver Cheshire attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 31/57 Chris Robshaw and Camilla Kerslake attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 32/57 Tina Daheley attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 33/57 Jon Hosking attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 34/57 Kally Mathieson attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 35/57 Immy Waterhouse attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 36/57 Isaac Carew attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hug 37/57 Ella Eyre attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 38/57 Andrew Cooper attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 39/57 Michael Sheen attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 40/57 Aisling Bea attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 41/57 Oliver Cheshire attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 42/57 Sir Tom Jones attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 43/57 George Ezra attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 44/57 Jack Guinness attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 45/57 Phil Cunningham, Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Tom Chapman and Stephen Morris of the band 'New Order' attend the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 46/57 Paul Smith attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 47/57 James Ellroy attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 48/57 Bernie Taupin attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 49/57 Jodie Harsh attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 50/57 Naomi Campbell attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 51/57 Winnie Harlow attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 52/57 Vicky McClure attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 53/57 Professor Green attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 54/57 Gabby Logan attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 55/57 Arizona Muse attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 56/57 Emma Willis attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 57/57 Richard Biedul attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 1/57 David Beckham attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 2/57 Richard Madden attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 3/57 Nicole Kidman attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 4/57 Taron Egerton attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 5/57 Rita Ora attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 6/57 Elle Fanning attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 7/57 James Blunt attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 8/57 Anna Lundberg and Michael Sheen attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 9/57 Kylie Minogue attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 10/57 David, Victoria and Brooklyn Beckham attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 11/57 Guy Ritchie and Jacqui Ainsley attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 12/57 Greg James attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 13/57 Nick Grimshaw and Meschach Henry attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 14/57 Sir Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 15/57 Maya Jama attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 16/57 Stormzy attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 17/57 Willfried Zaha attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 18/57 Debbie Harry attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 19/57 James Middleon attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 20/57 Russell Tovey attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 21/57 Neelam Gill attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hug 22/57 Gordon and Tana Ramsay attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 23/57 Andrew Scott attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 24/57 Adwoa Aboah attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hug 25/57 Eric Underwood attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 26/57 Lilah Parsons attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 27/57 RIchard Biedul attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 28/57 DJ Fat Tony attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 29/57 Paul Sculfor attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 30/57 Oliver Cheshire attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 31/57 Chris Robshaw and Camilla Kerslake attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 32/57 Tina Daheley attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 33/57 Jon Hosking attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 34/57 Kally Mathieson attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 35/57 Immy Waterhouse attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 36/57 Isaac Carew attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hug 37/57 Ella Eyre attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 38/57 Andrew Cooper attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 39/57 Michael Sheen attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 40/57 Aisling Bea attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 41/57 Oliver Cheshire attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Dave Benett/Getty Images for HUG 42/57 Sir Tom Jones attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 43/57 George Ezra attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 44/57 Jack Guinness attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 45/57 Phil Cunningham, Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Tom Chapman and Stephen Morris of the band 'New Order' attend the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 46/57 Paul Smith attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 47/57 James Ellroy attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 48/57 Bernie Taupin attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 49/57 Jodie Harsh attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 50/57 Naomi Campbell attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 51/57 Winnie Harlow attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 52/57 Vicky McClure attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 Getty Images 53/57 Professor Green attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 54/57 Gabby Logan attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 55/57 Arizona Muse attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 56/57 Emma Willis attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA 57/57 Richard Biedul attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019 on September 03, 2019 PA

But in an ironic twist of fate, he found himself axed from his party on the same night.

"It was a pretty astonishing moment," he said. “Remember, only a few weeks ago I was running for the leadership of the Conservative Party against Boris Johnson and I was in the Cabinet. And it has all gone very quickly in six weeks.

"It feels a little bit like something you associate with other countries - one opposes the leader, one loses the leadership race, no longer in the cabinet and now apparently thrown out of the party and one's seat too."

Mr Stewart said there were other Tories who had been wanting to block no-deal but were convinced to back the prime minister.

"There are 30 or 40 MPs who agree with us entirely but didn't vote with us partly because the threat being made here is terrible for people," he said.

"It is not just that they were threatened with losing their incomes and jobs, but people feel deeply loyal to the Conservative Party, they want to give the prime minister a chance, they don't want to bring in a Jeremy Corbyn government.

"He has been able to use all of that and he's been promising people he can get a deal out of Brussels, but the truth is there is absolutely and never has been any majority either in the country or in Parliament for no-deal. That has been true all the way through - I said it in the leadership race."

Mr Stewart is one of 21 Tory rebels to have had the party whip removed. They include former Chancellor Philip Hammond, Father of the House Ken Clarke and Winston Churchill’s grandson Sir Nicholas Soames.

He went on describe the PM's attempt to force through Brexit without Parliament's consent would effectively be akin to making the country take a "poison pill" that would divide the nation for 40 years.

He said: "I would like to stand as a Conservative for the Conservative Party [at the next election] and I have full confidence that the Government will eventually realise that this is no way to treat a party because in the end we have to bring the country together. This has to be about compromise.

"One of the strongest reasons why this is the wrong thing to do is because to deliver Brexit like this is to create a poison pill which for 40 years will divide this country straight down the middle.

"If you are going to deliver Brexit at all, try to do it legally, constitutionally and with consent."