The four Tory Cabinet Ministers toppled by Ed Davey's Lib Dems in record-breaking vote

Sir Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats have ousted four Cabinet ministers after winning a record number of seats at the general election.

The party leader hailed the “record-breaking” night where they secured 71 seats - beating the previous record of 62 under Charles Kennedy’s leadership in 2005.

Thursday’s result far exceeds the Lib Dems' standing at the last general election in 2019, when it secured 11 seats.

Sir Ed said: “This is a record-breaking night for the Liberal Democrats. We have swept to victory in seats from Land’s End to John O’ Groats.

“I am humbled by the trust that millions of people across the country have put in us.”

Speaking at Lib Dem headquarters in central London, Sir Ed said his party’s first campaign will be “for an emergency budget for health and care”.

He added: “Every Liberal Democrat MP will be the voice for carers and we are going to make sure your voice is heard like never before.”

Asked by journalists if his party can have any influence over a Labour Government, he said: “Yes, we’ve got the best ideas, we have the most ambitious programme. The Conservatives have left the country in a mess and it will take some time.”

Sir Ed, who toured Britain while carrying out various stunts, celebrated his success by dancing to Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline at a party in the early hours.

The Liberal Democrats denied the Tories success in constituencies once held by former prime ministers Lord Cameron, Lady May and Boris Johnson.

Among the biggest blows which the party inflicted on the Conservatives was in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, where Max Wilkinson won against Justice Secretary Alex Chalk.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan lost in Chichester, Sussex, to Jess Brown-Fuller, while Science Secretary Michelle Donelan lost to Brian Mathew in Melksham and Devizes.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer became a casualty to the Liberal Democrat candidate Charlotte Cane.

One seat the Liberal Democrats failed to clinch was Godalming and Ash, where party sources had suggested victory over former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt would be “quite the moment”.

He will remain an MP in the Surrey constituency after its voters elected him with a majority of 891.

Mr Hunt, who could be a contender in the Tory leadership race, said the Conservatives’ “crushing” defeat was a “bitter pill to swallow” for the party.

Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats have taken around 12.3 percent of the overall vote to secure 71 seats.

Sir Ed Davey said his party's first campaign will be “for an emergency budget for health and care”.

He added: “Our first campaign, that starts today, is a campaign for an emergency budget this month for health and care.”

The statement was met with cheers from supporters.

Sir Ed has spoken about his own caring responsibilities on the campaign trail, including for his son John, aged 16.

After retaining his Kingston and Surbiton seat, he said: “I’ve shared my own caring story during this campaign and I’ve been overwhelmed by the response, especially from fellow carers, people looking after their loved ones who’ve got in touch to say, ‘that’s my story, too’.

“And I’m grateful that we’ve been able to bring caring out of the shadows in this campaign, and we will continue to stand up for a society where we value care and properly support carers because we cannot afford not to.”