Starmer and Labour set for huge majority as exit poll predicts record Tory defeat

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Sir Jacob said: “The Conservative Party took its core voters for granted and that is why people have gone over to Reform.” Former cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom argued that the loss of votes to Reform showed that “the Conservative Party hasn’t been conservative enough.” Minister Steve Baker, who is also expected to lose his seat, told the BBC: “I think this is an extremely difficult time for the Conservative Party.” He said that Mr Sunak would do “what is right for the country”. The SNP will have lost out to the Labour Party surge, which Lord Mandelson told the BBC was “much bigger” than Tony Blair’s victory in 1997. Other records which could be broken are the all-time lowest number of Tory seats of 156 in 1906 and Tony Blair’s 1997 majority of 179. open image in gallery How it began: Rishi Sunak calls the election in the middle of a rain storm on 22 May Mr Sunak, who announced the snap election in the rain while being heckled with D:Ream’s “Things Can Only Get Better”, has insisted that he is “proud” of his election campaign despite many claiming it has been one of the worst in history. open image in gallery Nigel Farage decision to stand for election, despite initially ruling himself out, has had a devastating impact on the Tory vote Mr Farage, who has pushed hard on immigration and Mr Sunak’s failure to stop the small boats in the Channel, appealed to voters to “vote with your heart, vote for Reform”.