Hunt Warned His Kids: Don't Worry If I Lose My Seat... It's How Democracy Works

JEREMY Hunt was among more than a dozen Tory big beasts who had been tipped to lose their seats in the biggest Cabinet election clearout since 1997.

- Sam Lister

He warned his children weeks ago he might no longer be an MP, adding it was "nothing to worry about, that's democracy".

Defeat would make Mr Hunt the first Chancellor ousted at an election in modern times. He said on X yesterday: "[I'm] your strong local voice for Godalming Ash...After six weeks of campaigning, that big moment has arrived."

Some polling even had Rishi Sunak's Richmond constituency, which he won with 64% of the vote and a 27,210 majority, as a potential loss making him the first Prime Minister to lose his seat, in what would be an astonishing demise for the Conservatives.

Tory party rules do not explicitly state its leader must be an MP but in the event of such a defeat a caretaker would be installed while a contest for a replacement was held.

Since Margaret Thatcher took power in 1979 only 11 Cabinet ministers have been turfed out by constituents, seven in 1997 when Sir Tony Blair won a Labour landslide.