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Watch: Liz Truss loses her seat

The moment Liz Truss lost her seat (Credit: BBC)

It’s the Portillo moment of 2024. Liz Truss sensationally lost her safe South West Norfolk seat this morning, less than two years after serving as prime minister. Amid much online excitement about her prospects of losing, Truss was initially not seen at the count at 6 a.m, forcing the result to be delayed by several minutes. Some of those watching began slow clapping before she appeared, not wearing a Conservative rosette.

There were gasps and cheers as the results were read out, as Truss became the biggest Tory casualty on a painful night for the party. Labour’s Terry Jermy won by more than 600 votes in a seat that previously had a Conservative majority of 26,195, making it the 13th safest Tory seat nationally. Jermy took 11,847 votes while Truss won just 11,217, turning a constituency that had been blue since 1964 red for the first time in 60 years. Ouch.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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