The Conservative candidate for Tamworth rushed out of the venue before his Labour opponent even started her by-election victory speech.
Very early this morning, it was announced that Andrew Cooper had lost the seat, having only secured 10,403 votes from constituents.
That meant Labour’s Sarah Edwards – who secured 11,719 votes – had managed to overturn the Tory majority in a huge blow to Rishi Sunak.
It was moments after the results were announced, and Cooper learnt he had lost, that he fled.
According to ITV’s Lewis Warner, “he was in the building for less than five minutes”.
Edwards told the reporter: “I think it’s disappointing, but I think it really shows you know, that was the candidate who was put forward.
“And we have seen his true colours, so it’s one of those things, it is a shame.
“But I think Conservatives voters will be disappointed in that.”
Here’s a clip of that bizarre escape – which wasn’t exactly subtle, either.
Cooper had previously made headlines after the Daily Mirror unearthed a controversial Facebook post of his from 2020.
He had posted a hand drawn flow diagram which read: “Can you feed your kids?” The pen drawing suggested anyone who answered “no” should “fuck off”.
The prime minister was asked about the incident during PMQs earlier this week, but he refused to condemn Cooper’s actions and spoke about government action on the cost of living crisis instead.
Asked about Sunak’s thoughts on Cooper’s post again later, his spokesperson said: “I think the way the prime minister goes about his business is ‘judge us by our actions’.
“He believes that actions matter more [than words]. I haven’t heard him use that word personally.”
Tamworth was previously a safe Conservative seat with a majority of 19,634.
It went up for by-election after Chris Pincher resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which saw him suspended from the Commons for eight weeks.
Another by-election for Nadine Dorries’ former seat in Mid Bedfordshire, was held on the same day.
Labour toppled the Conservatives’ 24,664 majority in that constituency too, with Alistair Strathern winning on 13,872 votes.
Former Tory chancellor George Osbourne described the double whammy of two by-election losses as potential “armageddon for the Tories”.