Poll-axed: Tories are swept away by Labour's red tide

Sir Keir Starmer is poised to complete one of the most remarkable turnarounds in British political history as the exit poll indicates a huge Labour victory that will sweep him into Downing Street with a majority of 170.

- DAVID MADDOX

As polling stations closed at 10pm last night, the exit poll predicted that Labour will win 410 seats, the Tories 131, the Lib Dems 61, Reform 13 and the SNP 10.

It is a stunning reversal in fortunes since the Tories won an 80seat majority under Boris Johnson just under five years ago, in what was also Labour’s worst election result since 1935. The 131 seats projected for the Tories is a record low in their 346-year history, beating the previous 156 in 1906.

If the exit poll is correct, several senior Tories are in serious danger of losing their seats. According to the BBC, chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt, defence secretary Grant Shapps, ex-business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg and ex-Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith are among those at most risk.

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 added that Mr Sunak would do “what is right for the country”.

If the exit poll is proven right, Nigel Farage is set to be a big winner, taking his Reform UK party to 13 seats at its first attempt. His last-minute decision to stand in Clacton appears to be fully vindicated and has propelled his party into parliament, ending his own run of seven defeats in attempts to get elected.