Liz Truss has been brutally mocked by her political opponents, who joked that she will now have more time for her beloved cheese and pork markets as the former prime minister loses her safe seat.
Ms Truss, who led the country for just 49 days, lost her Norfolk South West seat to Labour by just 630 votes after the biggest swing from the Conservatives to Labour in history.
Terry Jermy overturned Truss’s 26,195 majority in 2019 after Reform and a separate campaign by the ‘Turnip Taliban’ – a group of disaffected local former Tories – slashed her support.
Despite beating Rishi Sunak to take the leadership of the Conservative Party in 2022, his popularity plummeted immediately after his disastrous mini-budget with his chancellor and friend Kwasi Kwarteng.
Following confirmation that the former Conservative bigwig had been ousted, many were quick to joke about her demise, with many referencing how a head of lettuce had survived Ms Truss’s time at Number 10.
Liz Truss pictured this morning as she lost her seat in the King’s Lynn by-election for south west Norfolk.
Terry Jermy shakes hands with Ms Truss after her victory in the King’s Lynn by-election recount for south west Norfolk
Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farren, who was re-elected today in Westmorland and Lonsdale, joked that “Agent Truss’s” job is finally done.
Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farren, re-elected in Westmorland and Lonsdale, joked: “We’ve removed Deputy Truss from the field, her job is done.”
Noted TV chef Nigella Lawson, daughter of Margaret Thatcher’s chancellor Nigel Lawson, simply shared an emoji of a lettuce surrounded by two people doing cartwheels.
“Liz Truss has lost her seat,” one joked. “Everyone take a few minutes to reflect on that.”
“At least Liz Truss has more time for the cheese and pork markets,” joked another, referring to Truss’s memorable speech in 2014 when she was Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Ms Truss, who led the country from 6 September to 25 October 2022 following Boris Johnson’s resignation, was the latest Conservative heavyweight to suffer at the hands of the electorate on a disastrous night – and morning – for the party.
His popularity plummeted after his devastating mini-budget with Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, which sent the pound into a tailspin and had widespread economic repercussions.
Thousands of people suffered sharp rises in their mortgages following the budget, which contained millions of pounds in unfunded tax cuts.
His disappearance from the House of Commons underlines the scale of Rishi Sunak’s defeat, which is the worst election result in the history of the Conservatives.
Truss declined to say whether she would remain involved in politics as she left the count this morning.
Noted TV chef Nigella Lawson, daughter of Margaret Thatcher’s chancellor Nigel Lawson, simply shared an emoji of a lettuce surrounded by two people doing cartwheels.
Others made jokes referring to Ms Truss’s memorable speech on the cheese and pork markets while she was Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Social media mocked Ms Truss’s loss by referencing the fact that a head of lettuce survived her brief stint at Number 10.
Speaking to the BBC after his defeat, he said: “I think the problem we face as Conservatives is that we have not delivered enough on the policies that people want.
“And that means keeping taxes down, but also, crucially, reducing immigration. And I think that’s been a crucial issue here in South West Norfolk, it was the main issue that people raised with me when I was on the doorstep.”
Asked if she accepted some responsibility for that, Truss said: “I agree. I was part of that. That’s absolutely true.”
“But during the 14 years we were in power, we unfortunately did not do enough to deal with the legacy that was left to us, in particular issues like the Human Rights Act which made it very difficult for us to deport illegal immigrants. And I think that’s one of the reasons why we’ve ended up in the situation we’re in now.”
She declined to say whether she would remain involved in politics.
Ms Truss was just one of dozens of senior Conservative figures to lose their seats.
Jacob Rees-Mogg lost his Somerset North East & Hanham seat to Labour’s Dan Norris by more than 5,000 votes. In his speech he congratulated Sir Keir Starmer on “what appears to be a historic victory”.
A sombre-looking Defence Secretary Grant Shapps suffered a “Portillo moment” as he was defeated by Labour in Welwyn Hatfield by around 3,000 votes.
Ms Truss was joined by other candidates for South West Norfolk this morning.
Leading conservative figures, including a record number of cabinet ministers, lost their seats in an electoral bloodbath.
A ‘Portillo’ moment is a reference to Conservative cabinet minister Michael Portillo, who lost what had been regarded as a safe Conservative seat in Labour’s landslide victory in 1997.
And Penny Mordaunt lost her Commons seat today in one of the biggest upsets of a general election that is turning into a bloodbath between top Tories, after the 51-year-old had been tipped as a potential Tory leader.
Among those opposing Ms Truss and Mr Jermy were Toby McKenzie of Reform UK and Josie Ratcliffe of the Liberal Democrats.
Tory dissident and former army officer James Bagge, who also opposed Truss, attracted attention after it was revealed he belongs to a group of disaffected Tories called the Turnip Taliban.
Mr Bagge previously told media the joke was a reference to the infamous lettuce that outlived Ms Truss at Number 10.
“It’s not a label that is chosen, but the turnip has deeper roots than lettuce,” he told reporters.
Candidates in south-west Norfolk had to wait on stage for several minutes for the result to be announced as they waited for Ms Truss to appear.
Some of the spectators began to slowly applaud before she finally joined them, not wearing a conservative rosette.