Nick Clegg first 'big beast' to lose seat

Speaking after losing his seat, the ex-Lib Dem leader said he had never "shirked a fight" but conceded: "You live by the sword, you die by the sword".

Mr Clegg withstood a strong challenge from Labour two years ago and many within Liberal Democrat ranks felt that his
survival in 2015 when so many of his colleagues lost their seats made it unlikely he would be at risk this time when the party's fortunes had improved.

But the Labour Party saw an increase of 19.7 per cent, grabbing votes from the Lib Dems and Conservatives.

The Lib Dem leader also spent 27% of his time in Labour constituencies, making trips to seven Labour strongholds and three Labour marginals.

"But overall results show the SNP will win a majority of the seats in this country and a majority of the votes".

Nick Clegg first 'big beast' to lose seat

The Liberal Democrat veteran, 74, has ousted the Tory's Tania Mathias - who previously pulled off an unexpected coup in the last General Election to knock him from his seat.

Goldsmith had promised not to stand as a Conservative candidate if they continued to back the third runway at Heathrow, yet rejoined the party and won back the Richmond Park seat as a Tory.

Mr Clegg had appeared relaxed about his prospects in the final days of the campaign, visiting other seats and using a speech in London to set out his case against Brexit. The former party leader had swept to power in the seat with a 8,687 majority in 2015, overturning decades of Liberal Democrat rule.

Mr Robertson had held his seat in Moray since 2001 and was defending a majority of 9,065.

Aid Minister James Wharton and Treasury Secretary Jane Ellison - author of the soft drinks tax - both lost too.