Ten top Tories in danger of losing their seats in General Election – and what they’ll do next
DOZENS of leading Tories are expected to lose their seats tomorrow night, polls show.
Sir Keir Starmer‘s Labour Party are hoping to take major scalps, leaving only a thin number of Tory MPs in the House of Commons.
And Rishi Sunak‘s Tories may even be without almost a dozen Cabinet ministers projected to lose their seats to Labour and the Lib Dems.
Here we take a look at ten big hitters who could be sent packing from Westminster.
Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer
Seat: Godalming and Ash
Majority: 8,817 [South West Surrey]
Target for: Lib Dems
The man brought in to steady the economy during the Liz Truss crisis looks on course to lose his seat.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has tightly governed the country’s purse strings since October 2022.
Under David Cameron he became the longest-serving health secretary since the NHS was established in 1948.
And he is one of the most experienced Cabinet ministers having served as both Foreign and Culture Secretary.
But the seat of South West Surrey – which he has held since 2005 – has been abolished and redrawn under new boundaries.
The Lib Dems have been gunning for the constituency hoping to gain a big scalp at the General Election.
If they succeed, Mr Hunt will become the first Chancellor in history to lose their seat at an election.
And YouGov MRP polling predicts that the Lib Dems will succeed in what could be the big Portillo moment of the night.
Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons
Seat: Portsmouth North
Majority: 15,780
Target for: Labour
Penny Mordaunt became a global hit after carrying the 4ft Sword of State perfectly upright for two hours during the King’s coronation.
She is frequently talked up as a future Tory party leader and ran for the top job after the collapse of Boris Johnson‘s administration.
In 2014 she starred in reality TV show Splash! when she famously made a painful belly-flop.
She has held senior roles including International Development Secretary and briefly Defence Secretary under Theresa May.
Despite holding her south coast seat since 2010, it looks likely to turn red this week.
The swing seat was held by Labour from 1997 to 2010.
Despite Penny’s sizeable majority of 15,780, YouGov predicts Labour will take 36.8 per cent of the vote, compared to the Tories on 33.8 per cent.
Alex Chalk, Justice Secretary
Seat: Cheltenham
Majority: 981
Target for: Lib Dems
Tory Alex Chalk sits on a wafer-thin majority of just 981 making him the most at risk of all the Tory bigwigs.
In 2019 he sat on 48 per cent of the vote share while his Lib Dem challenger snapped at his heels with 46.3 per cent.
Regularly described as one of Parliament‘s “nice guys”, he is one of Rishi Sunak’s biggest backers and an old schoolmate of the Prime Minister.
The rising star was appointed Justice Secretary after Dominic Raab was forced out over bullying allegations – which he denied.
Mr Chalk also served as a defence minister and prisons minister during his stint in government.
He won the Cheltenham seat from the Lib Dems in 2015 and looks set to hand it back this week.
Before he was elected to Parliament, Alex was a criminal barrister and is expected to return to the bar if he loses his seat.
Mark Harper, Transport Secretary
Seat: Forest of Dean
Majority: 15,869
Target for: Labour
In better times for the Tories Mark Harper would be sitting on a chunky majority in Gloucestershire.
But polling puts his Forest of Dean constituency at risk of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.
Another Rishi Sunak loyalist, Mr Harper was made Transport Secretary in October 2022 taking on striking rail unions.
He also served as an immigration minister, chief whip and even threw his hat in the ring to be leader of the Tory Party after Theresa May.
His seat was held by Labour under Sir Tony Blair and looks set to return to red with the party soaring ahead in the polls.
Before he became an MP, the cabinet minister worked as a chartered accountant.
Johnny Mercer, Veterans Minister
Seat: Plymouth Moor View
Majority: 12,897
Target for: Labour
Former soldier Johnny Mercer is fighting tooth and nail to hold onto his coastal constituency.
He is one of the biggest characters in Rishi Sunak’s top team and has been the MP for Plymouth Moor View since 2015.
The outspoken Minister for Veterans’ Affairs attends Cabinet and is known to wear his heart on his sleeve.
He was embroiled in an explosive row over his Labour counterpart’s military service record.
Mr Mercer accused his rival of being a “Walter Mitty”, while Mr Thomas insisted he could not discuss his service.
Row aside, Mr Thomas looks like he could unseat the incumbent.
The seat was previously held by Labour and Reform UK are expected to nibble into Johnny’s vote.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, former Business Secretary
Seat: North East Somerset and Hanham
Majority: 14,729 [North East Somerset]
Target for: Labour
Tory big beast Jacob Rees-Mogg is one of the most recognisable figures in British politics.
A eurosceptic long before it became popular, he became something of a cult figure around 2017 with “Moggmentum” trending online.
He served as Business Secretary under Liz Truss and Brexit Opportunities minister under Boris Johnson.
But the true blue Brexiteer faces could be lost in the Labour surge this election.
The former Leader of the House of Commons is on course to lose the redrawn seat of North East Somerset and Hanham to Labour.
With the seat absorbing Labour areas under boundary changes and an upsurge for Labour nationally, it’s looking tough for the senior Tory to hold on.
Gillian Keegan, Education Secretary
Seat: Chichester
Majority: 21,490
Target for: Lib Dems
Queen of the media interview Gillian Keegan has the biggest majority of all our Tories at risk.
Lib Dems have been going hard for her seat and could narrowly snap it up amid a backlash against the Conservatives.
The Education Secretary went viral when she was caught on mic venting her frustration over questions on the concrete crisis.
She accused others of “sitting on their a**e” as she did a “f***ing good job”.
Ms Keegan first won her seat in 2017 and also served as a care minister.
If the Tories lose her seat on Thursday, it will likely be one of the biggest swings on the night.
Grant Shapps, Defence Secretary
Seat: Welwyn Hatfield
Majority: 10,955
Target for: Labour
Grant Shapps is easily one of the most experienced Tory Cabinet ministers standing in this election.
Currently Defence Secretary, he has served as Energy Secretary, Home Secretary, Business Secretary and Tory Party Chairman.
And friends say he will throw his hat in the ring for leader – if he holds onto his seat.
But the battle is looking tough for the man who was regularly sent out on the airwaves to defend the government during the pandemic.
He won the Welwyn Hatfield seat from Labour in 2005 and is pounding the streets to hold on.
But it could return to red as Labour surges nationally and the suburbs look to Sir Keir Starmer.
Iain Duncan Smith, Former Tory Party Leader
Seat: Chingford and Woodford Green
Majority: 1,262
Target for: Labour
Former Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has seen his majority eroded over successive elections with young diverse voters moving into his suburban constituency.
He is one of the most recognisable Tory figures on the backbenches having served as Leader of the Opposition when Sir Tony Blair was PM.
All hope might not be lost for the MP as Labour was engulfed in a major row over their candidate selection locally.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party deselected their original candidate Faiza Shaheen who is now running as an independent.
Victoria Prentis, Attorney General
Seat: Banbury
Majority: 16,813
Target for: Labour
Attorney General Victoria Prentis has a constituency in the Tory’ “Blue Wall” of traditional safe seats.
The constituency has returned a Conservative MP every election since 1922.
However, Labour are hoping they can topple Ms Prentis as they push into uncharted territory.
Nigel Farage‘s Reform UK is also expected to eat into her vote helping Labour to come up through the middle.
Join The Sun live on election night for TWO Never Mind The Ballots specials
POLLING Day is almost upon us - and The Sun has got you covered with TWO live election night episodes of Never Mind The Ballots.
Our Political Editor Harry Cole will host a star-studded panel of experts live from Sun HQ at 10.15pm on Thursday for a snap reaction to the all-important exit poll.
And then we’ll be back at 8am on Friday to chew over the full results and fallout from the race for No10.
Britain could wake up to a new Prime Minister on July 5 if Sir Keir Starmer proves the polls right and cruises into Downing Street.
But might Rishi Sunak do enough to deny the Labour leader a dreaded supermajority and prevent a full-scale Tory wipeout?
For the very best analysis tune in on The Sun’s YouTube page or thesun.co.uk. You won’t want to miss it.