The government narrowly avoided a rebellion over controversial plans to extend anti-terror powers thanks to the backing of two Medway MPs.

Gillingham and Rainham MP Paul Clark (Lab) and Chatham and Aylesford MP Jonathan Shaw (Lab) both voted in favour of detention for 42 days without charge following a heated debate on Wednesday.

It was a narrow victory for the government which won the division with 315 votes to 306.

The proposal was nearly defeated following a rebellion by 36 Labour backbenchers who joined with the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives to oppose the motion.

One rebel was Medway MP Bob Marshall Andrews.

Mr Marshall Andrews said he believed the legislation to be deeply flawed. Speaking to Sky News, he said: “Most meaningless of all was the idea of turning parliament into some kind of court which was completely unworkable. The idea of giving compensation to people who are held under these powers is going to cause mayhem in the criminal justice system.”

The government was only successful because of the support of nine Democratic Unionist MPs.

The anti-terror proposals will now be scrutinised by the House of Lords.