As the election results continue to pour in, it appears that the Conservative party is suffering heavy defeats across constituencies in the country. Senior Conservatives such as Commons leader Penny Mordaunt, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk have all lost their seats to Labour. However, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt managed to hold onto his seat in Godalming and Ash by a slender 891 majority.
According to the BBC election results forecast, the Conservatives are predicted to have 154 MPs, down 218, while Labour is set to emerge as the largest party with 405 MPs. If confirmed, this would be the worst result for the Conservatives in modern history. Speaking after his re-election in Richmond and Northallerton, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conceded the election and apologised to those in his party who lost their seats. He also congratulated Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on his victory.
In her concession speech, Penny Mordaunt, who was tipped as a future Tory leadership contender, cautioned against “talking to an ever smaller slice of ourselves”. She stated that if the party wants to be the natural party of government again, their values must reflect the people. Similarly, former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland, who lost his seat, criticised the Conservative party for focusing on personal agendas and jockeying for position instead of doing the job they were elected to do.
While some senior Conservatives have acknowledged defeat, others have offered their perspectives on the reasons behind the party’s losses. Former business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg believed that the party had come to take its “core vote for granted” and needed to win voters at every election. He also suggested that the party made a mistake by ousting Boris Johnson. Similarly, former cabinet office minister Steve Baker acknowledged that the party was having an “incredibly difficult night” and criticised Rishi Sunak for some of his campaign decisions, including leaving D-Day commemorations early.
Overall, it seems that the Conservative party is facing a grave defeat as the Labour party emerges as the largest party. The reasons behind the Conservative’s losses vary, with some attributing it to a focus on personal agendas instead of fulfilling their responsibilities, while others point towards a lack of voter engagement. Regardless of the cause, it is clear that the Conservative party must reassess its values and priorities if it hopes to regain the trust of the people
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