Truss and Rees-Mogg among big-name Tory losses
It’s been a tough night for the Conservative Party as Labour has won the UK general election with a landslide victory. The Tories have slumped to a historic defeat – although not as horrific as some of the polls suggested.
Former prime minister Liz Truss is amongst the most famous Tories to have lost their seats in the election. Her South West Norfolk constituency swung to Labour by 630 votes – having previously boasted a huge 24,180 majority.
Commons leader Penny Mordaunt, who was once tipped to be the future Tory leader, and former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg are also among those to have lost their seats.
Truss has said her party failed to deliver in areas such as reducing immigration and “keeping taxes low.” Asked if she would stay on in Conservative politics, Ms Truss said “I’ve got a lot to think about” and asked people to “give me a bit of time”.
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Big gains for Labour, Lib Dems
The Conservatives are on course for a historic loss in terms of seats after a shocking 20-point decline in support.
They lost a lot of seats in southern England to the Lib Dems (who went from 8 seats in the Commons to now more than 70).
Tory voters reform – have also switched to Reform UK – which now has four seats and over 4 million people who voted for the party.
Twelve ministers attending cabinet have lost their seats, including Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan.
The Prime Minister managed to hold onto his seat in Richmond and Northallerton. He has announced he will resign as party leader when a plan has been put into place.
In other high-profile Tory losses:
- Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer lost to Labour in Plymouth Moor View
- Education Secretary Gillian Keegan lost to the Liberal Democrats in Chichester, a West Sussex seat the Tories have held for a century
- Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer lost Ely and East Cambridgeshire, also to the Liberal Democrats
- Chief Whip Simon Hart – in charge of party discipline – lost to Plaid Cymru in Caerfyrddin, as the Tories lost all their seats in Wales