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Theresa May 'sorry' for Tory MPs who lost their seats

The Prime Minister clung on to power with the help of the DUP in Northern Ireland.
The Prime Minister clung on to power with the help of the DUP in Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister clung on to power with the help of the DUP in Northern Ireland.

Theresa May has said she is sorry for Conservative MPs who lost their seats in Thursday’s general election.

Visibly weary from the night’s events, the Prime Minister said she would take time to reflect on how the Conservatives can “take the party forward” from now on.

She said: “Well, of course, as I’ve said many times during the campaign, I have wanted to achieve a larger majority, but that was not the result that we secured.

“And I’m sorry for all those candidates and hard-working party workers who weren’t successful, but also particularly sorry for those colleagues who were MPs and ministers who contributed so much to our country and who lost their seats and didn’t deserve to lose their seats.

“And as I reflect on the results, I will reflect on what we need to do in the future to take the party forward.”

May called the snap general election in April, after repeatedly claiming that she would allow the previous term to run its course until 2020.

(Frank Augstein/AP/PA)
(Frank Augstein/AP/PA)
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour gained 30 seats (Frank Augstein/AP/PA)

The political U-turn, designed to shore up an increased majority ahead of impending Brexit negotiations, spectacularly backfired on the Prime Minister and her party, who lost 13 seats against their 2015 results.

Labour came out much better than expected, and gained 30 seats overall, despite failing to overtake the Conservatives as the largest single party.

Here are some of the most notable Conservative losses:

Jane Ellison – Battersea

(Joe Giddens/PA)
(Joe Giddens/PA)
Ellison in 2015 (Joe Giddens/PA)

The financial secretary to the treasury and former public health minister, Ellison was among the most high-profile Tory losses of the night.

Gavin Barwell – Croydon Central

(Chris Radburn/PA)
(Chris Radburn/PA)
Barwell lost his Croydon Central seat to Labour (Chris Radburn/PA)

The Tory housing minister is the author of a book entitled How To Win A Marginal Seat, although it proved not to guide him through to victory on this occasion.

Rob Wilson – Reading East

(Nick Potts/PA)
(Nick Potts/PA)
Rob Wilson, centre right, in 2011 (Nick Potts/PA)

The charities minister had held his Reading East seat since 2005, before being defeated by Labour’s Matt Rodda, who gained a majority of 3,749 on Thursday.

James Wharton – Stockton South

(PA Wire/PA)
(PA Wire/PA)
Wharton in the Commons in 2013 (PA Wire/PA)

Labour’s Paul Williams took the seat from under James Wharton with just 888 seats, amounting to a Labour increase of 11.5% compared with the 2015 general election.

Victoria Borwick – Kensington

(Matt Alexander/PA)
(Matt Alexander/PA)
Former Deputy Mayor of London, Borwick in 2014 (Matt Alexander/PA)

The last seat to be called in the election following three recounts, Borwick lost her seat to Labour’s Emma Dent Coad by just 20 votes.