Richard Ottaway has been saved from deselection by the members of his constituency party after winning a vote of confidence.

The MP for Croydon South was in danger of being forced to stand down as the Tory candidate at the next election following criticism of his use of MPs expenses.

The sailing enthusiast had been attacked for being the only MP in Croydon to claim for a second home, especially as the £467,100 country pile was located nine miles south of his constituency and he owned another house minutes from the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

He claimed on his website the second home allowed him to do more work in his south Croydon constituency.

After negative publicity surrounding the claims, Mr Ottaway made the bold move of announcing he would let Croydon South party members decide his fate in a vote of confidence.

The association's President, Lord Bowness, chaired the meeting which ended in a secret ballot of members.

In a packed church hall in Sanderstead tonight, his confidence was rewarded as he won the vote and, under his own pledges, will now stand at next year’s general election.

Following the meeting Mr Ottaway said: "It has been a pretty difficulty two weeks.

"It was a meeting we had to have and it was a great result. All the issues have been aired."

Ian Parker, on behalf of the local party, said: "In the past few weeks there has been widespread and justified concern expressed over the system of parliamentary allowances and expenses.

"Richard Ottaway has apologised to constituents for his part in allowing an indefensible system of allowances to develop. He shares the local party's view that MPs should act honestly and decently.

"We expect MPs to live by the same rules and standards as those they wish to represent. No MP is above the law."

Among his expenses claims between April 2004 and March 2008 were £59.99 on lightbulbs, £50 for repairing a tractor tyre and £48 modifying a scarifier – a device used to churn up soil.

But the 64-year-old paid back £4,050 he had claimed on half of the price of a new bed from Harrods and £1,400 for various homeware and electrical goods following clamour from local residents.

His expenses claims were put before David Cameron’s Conservative head office scrutiny panel but he was not asked to pay back any more.

And there was also no action taken by the South Croydon Conservative Federation executive following a meeting earlier in the month.