Tory Turmoil: Prominent Conservatives Including Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt Lose Seats in Historic Election Setback

Prominent Tories ousted in election: Liz Truss, Penny Mordaunt, and Grant Shapps among defeated

A number of prominent Conservative figures have been unseated amid significant party setbacks. Ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss, along with former defence secretary Grant Shapps and Gillian Keegan, are among those who lost their positions.

Political journalist @fayebrownSky

Friday, July 5, 2024, 7:

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Liz Truss joins the ranks of prominent figures like Penny Mordaunt, Grant Shapps, and Gillian Keegan in exiting the Conservative Party, as it steers towards potentially its most dismal electoral performance ever.

Numerous high-ranking Conservative members have been unseated in a disappointing election for the historically powerful party.

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Here's an overview of who has been unseated and who else might be at risk of losing their position.

Liz Truss

Ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss has been ousted from her parliamentary seat, met with slow claps from the audience as the results were announced.

Former Tory party leader Ms. Truss was closely defeated by Labour’s Terry Jermy, with a margin of only 630 votes.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

Jacob Rees-Mogg is arguably the most prominent Conservative backbencher to have been unseated.

The Labour Party ousted him from his position in North East Somerset and Hanham, seats he has held since 2010.

The staunchly pro-Brexit alumnus of Eton College stepped down from his government role following Mr. Sunak’s ascension to power. Previously, he had held positions as the business secretary under Liz Truss, and as the Brexit minister and leader of the House of Commons during Mr. Johnson’s tenure, who awarded him a knighthood in his resignation honors list.

Profile: Grant Sh

After serving as the Member of Parliament for Welwyn Hatfield in Hertfordshire for 19 years, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has lost his parliamentary seat.

He was defeated by Labour with a deficit of 3,799 votes, forcing the Conservatives to bid farewell to both a seasoned cabinet member and a figure widely regarded as one of the party's most effective spokespeople.

His capabilities led to his leadership roles across multiple government sectors such as transportation, energy, commerce, and even a short stint at the Home Office.

Alex Chalk

According to the exit poll forecasts, the Liberal Democrats have unseated Justice Secretary Alex Chalk in the Cheltenham constituency.

He became the 11th individual to assume the role in just 13 years following Dominic Raab's resignation due to accusations of bullying. His tenure was fraught with difficulties, including issues with prison overcrowding and an unprecedented backlog in the crown courts.

Initially winning his seat in 2015, Mr. Chalk served as the solicitor general during Boris Johnson's tenure before he became part of the widespread departure of ministers that precipitated Johnson's resignation.

Gillian Keegan

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Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has also been impacted by the Liberal Democrats' strategy to break through the Conservative stronghold in southern England.

The cabinet minister, originally from Lancashire, has lost her parliamentary seat in Chichester, South West Sussex, a constituency she has served since 2017.

Before being tasked with overseeing education by Rishi Sunak, Ms. Keegan was not widely recognized. Her tenure has been marked by challenges, including teacher strikes and the RAAC crisis affecting schools. Additionally, she gained some notoriety for an incident involving profane language.

Mark Harper

Former transportation chief Mark Harper was narrowly defeated in the Forest of Dean, losing to a Labour candidate.

Labour representative Matt Bishop currently maintains a slim lead with a majority of 278 votes in the district.

Simon Hart

Simon Hart has held the position of Member of Parliament for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire in Wales from 2010. Adjustments to constituency boundaries resulted in his new seat, Caerfyrddin, incorporating a greater number of Plaid Cymru backers, contributing to the Welsh nationalist party's victory in this area.

As the principal enforcer, Mr. Hart has overseen party discipline in recent years and previously held the position of Secretary for Wales.

Johnny Mercer

Johnny Mercer, in a surprising turn of events, captured the Plymouth Moor View seat from the Labour Party in 2015 and has since bolstered his majority with each subsequent election. However, the seat in Devon has recently reverted

The minister for veterans has ardently supported the British armed forces community, holding his position since July 2022, except for a two-month period when he was notably dismissed by Liz Truss.

Since that time, the former soldier, known for his confrontational style, has frequently been in the news. This is particularly due to the possibility of facing jail time for his refusal to provide specific documents to the independent investigation concerning Afghanistan.

Penny Mordaunt

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Labour has ousted Commons leader Penny Mordaunt from her Portsmouth North seat, a development that will likely dismay moderate Conservatives who viewed her as a possible future replacement for Rishi Sunak.

First elected to Parliament in 2010, the Royal Navy reservist made history as the first woman to serve as defence secretary during the final phase of Theresa May's administration.

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Despite being demoted by Boris Johnson later on, the twice leadership candidate remained highly visible in the media as the Leader of the House of Commons under two later prime ministers, particularly known for her role carrying a sword during the King's coronation.

Lucy Frazer

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has lost her position to a Liberal Democrat candidate.

The Liberal Democrats, led by Sir Ed Davey, have successfully won the Ely and East Cambridgeshire seat, a position she has held since 2015.

Before being promoted to a cabinet position in Mr. Sunak's recent reshuffle, Ms. Frazer served in various ministerial roles, where she later drew criticism for alleging that the BBC was biased.

Mark Harper

Transport Secretary Mark Harper is on the verge of being ousted from his Forest of Dean constituency, a seat he has maintained since 2005. Although the results are still uncertain, the exit poll suggests that Labour has a slight advantage with a 54% likelihood of winning.

Mr. Harper received his cabinet role upon the prime minister's assumption of office, after having occupied several ministerial roles and serving as the chief whip.

A key supporter of Sunak, this individual gained recognition as the head of the COVID Recovery Group, a coalition of rebel MPs who opposed the lockdown measures during the crisis.

Jeremy Hunt

Jeremy Hunt successfully retained his constituency of Godalming & Ash, winning by a margin of 891 votes.

He was met with significant opposition from the Liberal Democrats, who secured 22,402 votes.

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