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Former prime minister Liz Truss has lost her parliamentary seat, capping a disastrous election night for the Conservatives which saw a slew of big hitters, including Grant Shapps, Penny Mordaunt and Jacob Rees-Mogg, booted out.
A dozen cabinet ministers lost their seats, surpassing the previous record of seven in 1997 when Tony Blair brought Labour to power in a landslide election victory.
Commons Leader Ms Mordaunt, Defence Secretary Mr Shapps, Welsh Secretary David TC Davies, Transport Secretary Mark Harper, Attorney General Victoria Prentis and Veterans' Minister Johnny Mercer all lost to Labour.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, Science Secretary Michelle Donelan, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer and Illegal Immigration Minister Michael Tomlinson lost to the Liberal Democrats.
Chief whip Simon Hart lost to Plaid Cymru, while Tory deputy chairman Jonathan Gullis and former cabinet minister Mr Rees-Mogg were beaten by Labour.
Ms Truss, whose premiership lasted just 49 days, lost her South West Norfolk seat to Labour by several hundred votes, providing the greatest shock of the night, in echoes of one of the most famous moments in modern British political history, when Michael Portillo was ousted in 1997.
After being slow-clapped to the stage for the declaration, she blamed her loss on the party failing to deliver on “policies people want”.
“And that means keeping taxes low but also particularly on reducing immigration and I think that’s been a crucial issue here in South West Norfolk, that was the number one issue people raised on the doorstep with me,” she said.
When asked if she had been “part of the problem”, she said: “I agree I was part of that, that was absolutely true, but during our 14 years in power unfortunately we did not do enough to take on the legacy we’d been left.
“In particular, things like the Human Rights Act that made it very difficult for us to deport illegal immigrants, and that is one of the reasons I think we’ve ended up in this situation we are now.”
Mr Shapps was appointed defence secretary in August last year, having held a number of roles, running departments from transport and energy to business.
He hit out at Conservative divisions during his concession speech, blaming his colleagues for losing the support of voters.
“We've tried the patience of traditional Conservative voters with a propensity to create an endless political soap opera out of internal rivalries and divisions, which have become increasingly indulgent and entrenched,” he said.
He warned his party of the danger of going off “on some tangent condemning ourselves and the public to years of lacklustre opposition that fails to hold a government to account effectively”, adding: “We must not let this happen.”
Ms Mordaunt, who was responsible for the government's business in parliament and was seen as a potential replacement for Rishi Sunak as party leader, narrowly lost Portsmouth North to Labour’s Amanda Martin.
In her concession speech, Ms Mordaunt said the Conservative Party lost “because it failed to honour the trust people placed in it”.
She added: “Fear steals the future and only makes the present matter, and that’s why we lost.”
Her honorary position of Lord President of the Privy Council meant she had a prominent constitutional role following the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022, and gained worldwide fame for holding a large ceremonial sword for more than an hour during the coronation of King Charles.
Mr Rees-Mogg, a former minister nicknamed “the honourable gentleman from the 18th century” because of his grand airs and trademark double-breasted suit, also lost to Labour, reacting to the result by quoting the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
“And one final thought from Caractacus Potts, and that is: from the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success,” he said.
“So thank you very much everybody and good night.”
Conservative Party big hitters who have lost their seats – in pictures
Other casualties included Peter Bottomley, the Father of the House – the honorary title bestowed upon the longest-serving MP. He was first elected in 1975 but lost his Worthing West seat.
Some of the Conservatives' biggest names did, however, hold their seats, including Rishi Sunak, who apologised for the heavy loss, Suella Braverman and Jeremy Hunt.
Mr Hunt, who won his seat by just 891 votes, said: “Across the country, tonight is a bitter pill to swallow for the Conservative Party.
He added: “Some Conservatives will wonder whether the scale of our crushing defeat is really justified.
“But when you lose the trust of the electorate, all that matters is having the courage and humility to ask yourself why, so that you can earn it back again.”
