Jeremy Hunt clings on amid bloodbath of Tory big beasts

Jeremy Hunt has clung on to his Surrey seat as scores of former cupboard members together with Jacob Rees-Mogg and Grant Shapps have been ousted in a massacre of Tory large beasts across the nation.

The incumbent Chancellor, who has been the the MP for South West Surrey since 2005, gained the newly created seat of Godalming and Ash by round 1000 votes after stiff competitors from the Liberal Democrat Paul Follows.

The end result got here after a record-breaking quantity of cupboard ministers have been ousted over the course of the evening, together with Grant Shapps, the defence secretary; Alex Chalk, the Lord Chancellor; Gillian Keegan, the schooling secretary; and Penny Mourdant, who had been talked about as a possible challenger for the management of the Tory celebration after the election. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the previous cupboard minister, additionally misplaced his seat.

Following Hunt’s victory, his spouse Lucinda was reportedly seen weeping with pleasure throughout a tv interview. In his speech following his victory, Jeremy Hunt grew to become emotional saying: “A message to my youngsters, who I sincerely hope are asleep now.

“This will appear to be a troublesome day for our household as we transfer out of Downing Road, however it isn’t.

“We’re extremely fortunate to reside in a rustic the place selections like this are made not by bombs or bullets, however by 1000’s of strange residents peacefully putting crosses in bins and bits of paper.

Jeremy Hunt

“Courageous Ukrainians are dying each day to defend their proper to do what we did yesterday and we must not ever take that with no consideration. Don’t be unhappy, that is the magic of democracy.”

The dimensions and significance of the defeats underscores the collapse of assist for the Tories of their conventional dwelling counties heartlands.

Hunt had admitted throughout the election marketing campaign that his seat was on a “knife edge,” however had insisted that he was “combating” for the constituency and was “no Michael Portillo” – the previous cupboard minister who misplaced his seat within the 1997 common election. James Walsh, his Labour opponent, mentioned throughout the marketing campaign that Hunt was in search of to place himself because the “underdog”.

Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats mounted an offensive on swathes of the so-called Blue Wall all through the marketing campaign, because the largely remain-voting area deserted the Tories on the again of Brexit and the celebration’s swing to the best.

The longer term management of the celebration is now unclear, although each Hunt and Rishi Sunak held onto their seats. Each Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman, thought of management contenders, additionally gained their seats.

Hunt was appointed chancellor within the final days of Liz Truss’ Tory authorities, after he declined to participate in what would have been his third Tory management race. When he entered No. 11, Hunt was hailed as “essentially the most highly effective particular person in Britain”.