Chesham and Amersham MP Cheryl Gillan has vowed to continue to stand up for what she believes in after she was removed from a body representing Britain in Europe.

Conservative Mrs Gillan, who voted against the government over rules ahead of the European Union referendum, is one of three Tory MPs to be removed from the Parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe.

The government wanted to allow civil servants to publish pro-EU information in the crucial weeks leading up to the date of the referendum.

With the membership to the council being decided by the Prime Minister, there are suggestions that the move was a personal punishment for the former Welsh Secretary’s voting decision.

However, speaking exclusively to the BFP, Mrs Gillan defiantly vowed to continue to represent “all shades of opinion” across her constituency on European matters.

Mrs Gillan said: “Having previously served on the NATO Parliament and on the front bench for Foreign Affairs, including being our Shadow Minister for International Development, it was good to have the opportunity to serve on the Council on behalf of the United Kingdom.

“There are many viewpoints on Europe in Chesham & Amersham, as there are across the country, and I would hope that those who want to see reform in Europe, as I do, will be able to speak up.

“I had the chance to vote in the referendum in 1975 but there are a lot of people who have not had that experience.

“Above all we have to have a wide-ranging debate with all shades of opinion represented across the board.”

Wycombe MP Steve Baker, who was re-elected in May, has also been outspoken about Britain’s role in Europe and voted - alongside Mrs Gillan - against the proposal.