Divisive Tory backbencher Brendan Clarke-Smith has been handed a frontline role as the party desperately tries to reset ahead of the next election.

New Conservative Party Chairman Richard Holden unveiled a string of new deputies at the weekend, including the Bassetlaw MP, who has often found himself in the headlines. Mr Clarke-Smith will help with the party's campaigning efforts - an unenviable job as the Tories languish 16 points behind Labour in the polls.

But putting him on the frontline at a time could be a gamble for Rishi Sunak, as he tries to unite his warring party and win over disillusioned voters.

To mark his promotion, the Mirror has gathered together some of Mr Clarke' Smith's most controversial moments since becoming an MP in 2019.

Defending Tory MP who was convicted of racism

Mr Clarke-Smith this year launched a fundraising drive for racism row MP Bob Stewart. He set up a crowdfunding page to cover Mr Stewart's fine and legal costs, who was convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence.

Mr Stewart was fined £600 and ordered to pay a further £835 in legal costs by Westminster Magistrates Court earlier this month following the heated exchange row with campaigner Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei last December. He told the activist to "go back to Bahrain" and "you're taking money off my country, go away!" The Beckenham MP surrendered the Tory whip after his conviction and won't seek re-election next year.

A fundraiser set up by Mr Clarke Smith to cover Mr Stewart's fine and legal costs, has already raised more £19,000. The website states: "It is a disgrace to see a case such as this going to court, let alone for a decorated military hero and veteran, such as Colonel Stewart. Many will be appalled at the subsequent conviction for what was simply a polite request for somebody to go away and conduct their protest somewhere else where it would be more appropriate."

Food banks are a 'political weapon'

At an election hustings in 2019, Mr Clarke-Smith said food banks were being used a "top up" and a "political weapon". In a vile attack on the poorest in society, he said: "If you keep saying to people that you’re going to give stuff away, then you’re going to have an increase I’m afraid."

The Tory faced shouts of "shame on you!" as he tried to deflect blame from Tory welfare cuts. Challenged on his comments by the Mirror at the time, he stood by the remarks - claiming the shouts at the hustings were "staged outrage".

He ranted that it was "simply not true" that "people can't afford to buy food on a regular basis". And despite official figures showing poverty had risen, Mr Clarke-Smith insisted he didn't believe that was the case.

Quoting controversial Brexit newspaper frontpage

Earlier this month, Mr Clarke-Smith reacted to the Supreme Court's blocking of the Government's plan to send refugees to Rwanda by posting a picture on social media of a notorious 2016 Daily Mail headline branding top judges “enemies of the people” over a ruling on Brexit.

The newspaper frontpage featured photos of three judges who ruled the UK Government must get the consent of Parliament before it fired the starting gun on leaving the EU. It sparked a huge backlash at the time for politicising and questioning the independence of the judiciary.

After backlash to his tweet, Mr Clarke-Smith was forced to publish a clarification. "To be clear for context, this isn’t an attack on judges, but a reminder that the people of this country have felt their democratic choices haven’t been implemented. Like we did then with Brexit, we solved the problem in Parliament and it’s my intention to make this happen again," he said.

Telling firefighters using foodbanks to learn how to budget

Mr Clarke-Smith found himself in the spotlight again earlier this year for his comments on foodbanks. This time, he was targeting hard-pressed emergency workers who rely on the extra support.

Mr Clarke-Smith quoted a tweet from the Fire Brigades Union, which said: "Freedom of Information requests reveal that Chief Fire Officers are on average on £148,000 - whilst many ordinary firefighters, on £32,244, are forced to foodbanks."

In a comment alongside it, the Tory MP said: “I respect the profession, but £32,244 and using a food bank? Never heard such a ridiculous thing in my life. I earned a lot less than that for most of my teaching career, and so do many of my constituents. If true, which is unlikely, I suggest learning how to budget and prioritise.”

Attempting to undermine Partygate probe

Mr Clarke-Smith was named and shamed as one of eight allies of disgraced Boris Johnson who made "sustained" attempts to undermine the Privileges Committee's Partygate probe. A scathing report named the Tory MP alongside Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nadine Dorries and Dame Priti Patel.

It said that "pressure" was applied to committee members investigating Mr Johnson's Partygate lies.

Mr Clarke-Smith called the probe a "witch-hunt which would put a banana republic to shame". The damning report ruled his and others' behaviour had a "significant personal impact" on those carrying out the probe, raising "significant security concerns".

The committee - made up of four Tories, two Labour and one SNP MP - recommended a massive 90-day suspension after finding Mr Johnson had committed five contempts of Parliament - but he quit before the punishment could be imposed.

'Personal view' supporting death penalty

Mr Clarke-Smith expressed his support for the death penalty "in principle" following the trial of Lucy Letby. He said he believes the "ship has sailed" in terms of capital punishment's return in the UK, but said he has always personally supported the concept.

After the trail of the killer nurse, he shared a video on social media following in which Margaret Thatcher discusses her support for capital punishment, saying: "When some criminals go out and do such hideous, cruel crimes, and in particular when they do such terrible things to children, I think they've forfeited their own right to life."

Mr Clarke-Smith wrote: "Nowadays I recognise this is only a philosophical debate, but this is my personal view. It has always been my personal view and it is one I make no apologies for."

Hard-pressed Brits should buy value baked beans

In May this year, Mr Clarke-Smith told hard-pressed Brits to buy value baked beans if they're struggling with soaring supermarket prices. During a debate on LBC on whether supermarkets had been profiteering by hiking prices, he said: "Heinz Baked Beans, say the price has shot up on that and people say, 'oh this tin has gone up by 50% or whatever'. Well, buy the Tesco Value one."

At the time, Shadow Environment Secretary Jim McMahon said: “It’s clear Tory MPs don’t take food security seriously. Brendan Clark-Smith MP telling hard-pressed British families in a cost of living crisis to ‘just eat value beans’ is out of touch and offensive. Tory MPs should focus on tackling the cost of living crisis rather than lecturing hardworking families on what food to put on their table."

Sarcastic comment ridiculing mental health

In June, a woman was targeted by Mr Clarke-Smith on social media after posting about her mental health. Tan Smith, 38, was stunned when Mr Clarke-Smith sarcastically said he was "playing the world's smallest violin" after she praised the Samaritans on Twitter.

It came after she thanked a "kind" volunteer at Glastonbury for helping her when she was struggling with her mental health at the Glastonbury Festival.

She called for him to be suspended after the party failed to condemn him. At the time, Mr Clarke-Smith himself declined to comment, but did send screenshots of offensive messages and images posted by the blogger and political commentator in the past.