Liz Truss loses South West Norfolk: Beaten by a lettuce, beaten by Labour

Keir Starmer campaigning for Labour at the 2024 general election.
Keir Starmer campaigning for Labour at the 2024 general election.

The former Tory Prime Minister Liz Truss has suffered a spectacular defeat to Labour in her South West Norfolk constituency, in an extraordinary result few saw coming on election night.

The former leader, who led Britain for just a matter of weeks after sparking an economic crisis she has shown little remorse over, was MP in the seat from 2010, and had an enormous 26,195-vote majority in 2019.

It marks a dismal end to her career, and one of the biggest scalps Labour has taken at this election.  A BBC presenter called it an “ignaminious” exit.

Penny Mordaunt, seen by many as a potential future Tory leader, also lost her seat.

Truss was not present when results were announced in King’s Lynn, prompting slow hand claps in the room.


Read more of our 2024 general election results coverage:

Liveblog: Live updates, analysis and reaction to Labour landslide

Labour results tracker: Full list and map of Labour gains, holds, losses, new MPs

‘We did it’: Keir Starmer’s victory speech as Labour crosses key 326 seat line

Luke Tryl: ‘Labour’s won back the electorate’s confidence: now it needs to shake up the status quo’

‘What should we look for in Keir Starmer’s cabinet?’


Read more on how the night unfolded:

Scotland results: Labour makes big gains as SNP obliterated

Wales results: Labour bags 27 of 32 seats as Tories wiped off the map

Red Wall: Gains in Stoke, Grimsby, Redcar, Workington, Hartlepool, Barrow, Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Bolsover

Jacob Rees-Mogg: Senior Tory loses seat as Labour mayor Dan Norris wins

Gaza: Jon Ashworth loses in Leicester as independents win Blackburn and Batley

Islington North: Jeremy Corbyn holds on in strong result over Labour

Nuneaton, Stevenage, Swindon, Worcester: Labour wins in key bellwether marginals


Read more on what could come next for Labour in power:

Day one: What would happen on Starmer’s first day in charge?

100 days: What would happen during the first 100 days of a Labour government?

Delivering pledges: ‘Change is hard – how can Labour achieve it?’

Manifesto: ‘12 great policies you may never have heard of’

Foreign affairs: ‘Whatever happens to Biden, Starmer faces a US challenge’

Trilemma: IFS warns Starmer will likely have to pick cuts, debt or tax hikes


Read more on how Labour fought this campaign in key battlegrounds:

Natalie Fleet, campaigning to be Labour MP for Bolsover at the 2024 general election. Photo: Ed Godden Photography
Bolsover candidate Natalie Fleet. Ed Godden Photography

Aldershot: Can Labour win the ‘Home of the Army’ for the first time in a century?

Bolsover: Labour’s Natalie Fleet on death threats, Dennis Skinner and class today

Brighton Pavilion: Can Labour win the Greens’ one seat?

Bristol Central: Inside Labour’s battle to counter the insurgent Green Party

East Thanet: Inside the battle for coastal ex-UKIP stronghold not won since 2005

Edinburgh endgame: The seat where SNP defeat would signal Labour majority

Dover and Deal: Small boats and Tory mutineers: Can veteran Mike Tapp win?

Finchley and Golders Green: Can Labour win back Britain’s most Jewish seat?

Glasgow South West: Meet the NHS doctor fighting one of Scotland’s tightest marginals

Monmouthshire: ‘Why this CLP is setting the standard in this campaign’

Sheffield Hallam: ‘Can Labour’s Olivia Blake hold on in Nick Clegg’s old seat?’

South West: Could Labour take ‘non-battleground’ Tory seats?

Wimbledon‘s battle of the bar charts: Inside a rare election three-horse race


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