 In September 2019, Clark was one of 21 Conservative MP's to have the Whip (politics) removed, after failing to back the Government, in keeping the option of a No-deal Brexit on the negotiating table.The constituency has been Conservative since its inception in 1974 for the 1974 General Election; the two previous MPs were Sir Patrick Mayhew (1974–1997) and the former Asda chairman Archie Norman (1997–2005).In 2006 the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells was estimated to have a population of approximately 56,500.