The Cabinet ministers who could lose their seats at the general election

Now Rishi Sunak has called an election, several of his most prominent ministers could face a tough fight to retain their seats in Parliament.

Among the Cabinet ministers defending slim majorities are Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

Tory election strategists have reportedly warned the party’s MPs that anyone with a majority of less than 15,000 could face being ousted from their constituency, though some have suggested this claim has been made to manage expectations.

Polling company YouGov in April suggested several Cabinet ministers could be among 200 Conservative losses at the next election, based on the multi-level regression and post-stratification (MRP) method from data collected at the end of March.

Here the PA news agency looks at who they are.

– Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Conservative MP for South West Surrey

Mr Hunt, who was first elected in 2005, won a majority of 8,817 at the 2019 general election.

Since 2010, he has served in several key Government roles, including as health secretary and culture secretary.

In the 2024 election, Mr Hunt will be campaigning to represent a new constituency, Godalming and Ash, due to a boundary review.

YouGov suggests the Liberal Democrats are set to win this new seat from him.

– Grant Shapps, Defence Secretary, Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield

The Defence Secretary won a majority of 10,955 in the 2019 election.

He could lose his seat to Labour, from whom he first won it in 2005.

– Simon Hart, Government Chief Whip, Conservative MP for Caerfyrddin

Mr Hart currently represents Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire in Wales, which he won with a majority of 7,745 in 2019.

Due to boundary changes, he will stand for the newly created Caerfyrddin seat but is predicted by YouGov to lose to Plaid Cymru.

– Johnny Mercer, veterans minister, Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View

Veterans minister Mr Mercer first won his Plymouth constituency in 2015 from Labour, and held it in 2017 and 2019, where he had a majority of 12,897.

Labour could win the seat in the coming election.

– Alister Jack, Scotland Secretary, Conservative MP for Dumfries and Galloway

The Scotland Secretary has announced he will stand down at the next election but his seat could be in danger from the SNP.

In 2019, Mr Jack won a majority of 1,805 over his SNP opponent.

– Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons, Conservative MP for Portsmouth North

The Commons leader became a well-known political figure during the King’s coronation, during which she held aloft the jewelled Sword of Offering in her ceremonial duty as Lord President of the Council.

But her seat is likely to be won by Labour according to YouGov.

In 2019, her majority was 15,780.

– Victoria Prentis, Attorney General, Conservative MP for Banbury

Ms Prentis has served as Banbury MP since 2015, a seat which has been held by a Conservative MP since the 1920s, and won a majority of 16,813 in 2019.

But boundary changes will see the constituency dramatically change, with the large town of Bicester split off into a new Bicester and Woodstock constituency.

YouGov predicts under the new boundaries that Banbury could be won by the Labour party.

– Alex Chalk, Justice Secretary, Conservative MP for Cheltenham

The Justice Secretary’s majority in 2019 was 981 over his Liberal Democrat opponent.

The Lib Dems, which held the seat prior to 2015, could win the seat back in 2024.

– David TC Davies, Wales Secretary, Conservative MP for Monmouthshire

The Wales Secretary’s Monmouth constituency will be abolished, with Mr Davies standing to represent the new Monmouthshire constituency.

In 2019, he won a majority of 9,982 over his nearest opponent, a Labour candidate.

YouGov suggests the seat could go to Labour.

– Gillian Keegan, Education Secretary, Conservative MP for Chichester

Ms Keegan won a majority of 21,490 over her nearest Lib Dem opponent at the 2019 general election.

While in YouGov’s latest April polling she is not predicted to lose her seat, pollsters have previously warned that she could,

– Lucy Frazer, Culture Secretary, Conservative MP for South East Cambridgeshire

The Culture Secretary will stand in the new Ely and East Cambridgeshire at the coming election, which is created in part from her old seat.

Similarly to Ms Keegan, YouGov’s April polling suggests she could hold the new constituency, though there have previously been warnings the seat could go to the Lib Dems.

She won a majority of 11,490 in 2019.