Jeremy Hunt among more than a dozen Tory big beasts tipped to lose seats

Jeremy Hunt is among more than a dozen Tory big beasts tipped to lose their seats in the biggest Cabinet wipeout since 1997.

The Chancellor warned his children weeks ago that he may no longer be an MP but insisted it is “nothing to worry about, that's democracy”.

Mr Hunt would become the first holder of the Treasury post to be ousted at an election in modern history.

The Conservatives are braced for a string of senior figures in the party to be kicked out.

Wild variations in seat by seat polling has even left Rishi Sunak’s Richmond constituency, which he won with 64 percent of the vote, a 27,210 majority, talked about as an outside risk.

It would make him the first Prime Minister to lose his seat and mark an astonishing demise for the Conservative Party, which has been the most electorally successful in the democratic world.

Under Tory rules, there is nothing that explicitly states the leader must be a sitting MP but in reality a caretaker would be installed while the party held a contest for a replacement.

Since Margaret Thatcher took power, only 11 Cabinet ministers have been rejected by their constituents.

Seven of those were in 1997 when Sir Tony Blair swept to power on a huge landslide.

The most high profile to lose their seat that night was Michael Portillo, who was tipped as the next Tory leader.

His defeat in Enfield Southgate became known as the “Portillo moment” with a book about the election published that year called Were You Still Up for Portillo?

Three Liberal Democrat Cabinet Ministers, including current party leader Sir Ed Davey, were ousted in 2015, the last MPs serving at the top of government to be kicked out at an election.

In the worst case scenario, polls put as many as 21 of the 27 current Cabinet at risk with Penny Mordaunt one of the most high profile casualties.

The Commons Leader became one of the most well known ministers after playing a central role in the King’s coronation.

Unwavering while standing with the ceremonial sword, Ms Mordaunt was praised for her composure and admired for her eye-catching bespoke outfit.

She has been one of the best public performers in the party, giving rousing speeches to the party faithful and taking the fight to Labour in televised election debates.

A former leadership contender, she has been talked about in recent months as a potential successor to Mr Sunak.

But a surge for Reform in her Portsmouth North seat that cut into her support made her a key target for Labour.

Another Cabinet minister touted as a leadership candidate, Grant Shapps, faced a tough fight to hang on to the Welwyn Hatfield seat he first won in 2005.

Labour’s support in the commuter belt constituency has steadily increased as more young families move out of London.

Party chairman Richard Holden, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk were all on a knife-edge.

Crucially, the party was also facing the prospect of losing some of its most experienced MPs on the backbenches.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a former party leader, was battling to hang on to Chingford and Woodford Green where he had a majority of just 1,262.

Former defence secretary Sir Liam Fox should have been secure in his North Somerset seat after winning a 17,536 majority but some polls tipped him to lose.

Neighbour Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of the most well-known Conservative MPs, was hit by boundary changes that tip the constituency towards Labour.

Ex-PM Liz Truss, widely blamed within the party for many of its woes after the disastrous mini-budget, has faced intense anger in South West Norfolk.

The seat is the 11th safest based on the results of the 2019 election and is a true blue rural area.

But Labour has campaigned relentlessly, a former Conservative locally is standing as an independent on an anti-Truss ticket and Reform has picked up significant support.

Although most polls suggested she would hang on, the margin was tight and Ms Truss was facing a fight for every vote.

The depth and breadth of the potential wipeout within the Conservative Party narrows down the field when it comes to the inevitable leadership contest to replace Mr Sunak.

Kemi Badenoch is tipped as the front runner and won her seat with a 27,594 majority at the last election. Boundary changes eat into that number but she is also being squeezed by Labour, Reform and the Liberal Democrats.