Catholic ‘big beasts’ wiped out in Labour landslide

Senior Catholic Cabinet Ministers were among the Conservative Party “big beasts” who lost seats in Labour’s landslide General Election victory.

Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary, lost her Chichester seat to the Liberal Democrats, and Mark Harper, the Transport Secretary and former Forest of Dean MP, was defeated by Labour’s Matt Hooper by just 300 votes.

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, former Leader of the House of Commons and Business Secretary, also lost his North East Somerset seat to Labour after the Reform UK candidate took a large chunk of his vote.

Dr Thérèse Coffey, a former Deputy Prime Minister, Health Secretary, Environment Secretary and Works and Pensions Secretary, was also beaten by Labour, losing her Suffolk Coastal seat after 14 years.

Other Conservative Catholic casualties included Dr Liam Fox, the former Internal Trade Secretary and Defence Secretary, and Damian Green, the former Work and Pensions Secretary.

Maria Caulfield failed in her attempt to be re-elected as MP for Lewes, while Damian Collins was defeated in Folkestone and Hythe, Daniel Kawczynski in Shrewsbury and Paul Maynard in Blackpool North and Fleetwood.

Penny Mordaunt, who was raised a Catholic, also lost her seat in an historic wipeout which also saw the exit of Liz Truss, the first former Prime Minister to lose a seat since Alec Douglas-Home in 1966.

The Conservative Party lost more than 250 seats in all while the Labour Party secured a majority of almost 220 MPs.

Reform UK succeeded in winning four seats, including Clacton by Nigel Farage in his eighth attempt enter Parliament.

Outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conceded defeated just before 5am and apologised to Conservative parliamentary candidates after congratulating Sir Keir Starmer, his successor at 10 Downing Street.

The rout represented the worst results suffered in a General Election in the modern history of the Conservative Party.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, later offered his congratulations to Sir Keir.

Cardinal Nichols wrote to the PM to assure him of his prayers as the Labour leader formed a new government.

“On behalf of the Catholic community in England and Wales I should like to congratulate you on your victory in yesterday’s general election,” wrote Cardinal Nichols.

 “I assure you of my good wishes as you take up your new responsibilities in forming and leading a government.”

The Cardinal, acknowledging the challenges of leadership, said the Catholic Church stands ready to work constructively with the Government in matters of education and other areas that serve the common good.

He wrote: “The Catholic Church has a long record of partnership with the UK Government, not least in the area of education where we run over 2,000 schools in conjunction with the state.

“We look forward to this continuing and to working constructively in this and other areas with you, your ministers, and officials.

“Your previous comments about wanting a government which works with churches and faith communities have been most welcome, and I want you to know that we stand ready to play our part.

“I know that the road ahead is, perhaps, not the easiest one but I wish you well as you embark upon it. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.”

(Photo of Gillian Keegan by Carl Court/Getty Images)

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