Biggest Losers in UK General Elections

Ed Balls, Labour, Morley and Outwood

The Shadow chancellor is the highest-profile casualty, losing his seat to the Conservative Andrea Jenkyns after a recount.

Vince Cable, Lib Dem, Twickenham

The Liberal Democrat Business Secretary lost the seat he has held for 18 years, defeated by Tory candidate Tania Mathias by 25,580 votes to 23,563. He blames a campaign of "fear" by the Tories for a "terrible night" for his party.

Jim Murphy, Labour, East Renfrewshire

Scotland's Labour leader and the man who helped spearhead the successful 'No' campaign in the independence referendum was among a number of prominent figures ousted by the SNP, losing the seat he had held since 1997 to Kirsten Oswald.

Danny Alexander, Lib Dem, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey

Another key Lib Dem cabinet member apparently paying the price for his party's role in the coalition, Mr Alexander lost to Drew Hendry of the SNP.

George Galloway, Respect Party, Bradford West

Three years after taking the seat in a by-election, George Galloway falls to the Labour Party's Naseem Shah.

Douglas Alexander, Labour, Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Labour's general election campaign chief and shadow foreign secretary suffered one of the more eye-catching defeats of the night, losing to the SNP's 20-year-old Mhairi Black – who becomes the youngest MP since the 1600s thanks to a 26.92% swing.

Mark Reckless, UKIP, Rochester and Strood

One of his party's two MPs, he was only re-elected late last year after defecting from the Tories, but the seat was regained for the Conservative Party by Kelly Tolhurst.

Simon Hughes, Lib Dem, Bermondsey and Old Southwark

The former party leadership hopeful had held the seat for 32 years – but lost to Labour by around 5,000 votes.

Ed Davey, Lib Dem,  Kingston and Surbiton

The Energy Secretary lost the seat he had held since 1997 to Tory candidate James Berry, missing out by almost 3,000 votes.

Esther McVey, Conservative, Wirral West

Labour's Margaret Greenwood sees off the Employment minister in the tight marginal.

Natalie Bennett, Greens, Holborn and St Pancras

While the Greens doubled their tally to two MPs, neither of them was the party's leader, who lost to Labour's Keir Starmer.

 Dr Willie McCrea , DUP,  South Antrim

The shock of the night in Northern Ireland saw the DUP veteran defeated by Ulster Unionist Danny Kinahan.

Jo Swinson, Lib Dems, East Dunbartonshire

The UK business minister is swept aside due to a 16.05% swing to the SNP, in the seat she had held for her party for 18 years.

Sir Nick Harvey, Lib Dems, Devon North

On a night of devastating scalps for his party, Sir Nick's defeat by almost 7,000 votes to the Tories' Peter Heaton-Jones barely registered as a shock.