The former minister Neil Hamilton, who lost his seat at the last general after being at the centre of the cash-for-questions affair, was the main subject of Mr Hague's remarks.

He said the former MP, who last his seat to the former BBC War Correspondent Martin Bell, would not be a Tory MP in future. Nor will he be welcome at this week's party conference in Bournemouth.

Mr Hague said on ITV's Jonathan Dimbleby programme that the ban may also include Piers Merchant, who left Parliament after lying about an affair with a former Tory party worker.

"I am not aware of Piers Merchant making any membership application. I'm not aware of anything about Piers Merchant's activities in recent times."

'No future in the party'

Mr Hague continued: "I want to make clear that people who have brought bad publicity and in some cases brought some disgrace to the Conservative Party are not going to be playing any part in its affairs in the future.

"Neil Hamilton is not going to be coming back into a Conservative conference. He's not going to be a Conservative MP in the future."

But according to the Independent on Sunday, Mr Hamilton has plans to use the conference fringes to launch a book that he says will clear his name.

It also seems likely that the former Cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken may also face a ban from membership if he is found guilty of perjury when his case comes to court.