Penny Mordaunt and Grant Shapps fell victims to a brutal Tory cull tonight as Keir Starmer‘ swept towards election victory.
A glum-looking Defence Secretary suffered a ‘Portillo Moment’ as he was defeated by Labour in Welwyn Hatfield by around 3,000 votes.
And shortly afterwards Ms Mordaunt missed out by a similar margin in Portsmouth North, admitting the party had ‘broken trust’ with voters.
In his parting shot, Mr Shapps said the Conservatives had ‘lost’ the election rather than Labour winning it – and ‘tried the patience’ of the public by being divided.
Welsh Secretary David Davies has already conceded defeat, and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has lost to the Lib Dems in Chichester – who also took out Justice Secretary Alex Chalk. Altogether at least 16 ministers have gone, with Johnny Mercer and Therese Coffey beaten by Labour.
However, former leader Iain Duncan Smith surprised many by clinging on in Chingford.
And…
