The long-running Southern Rail dispute cost the Tories seats in the General Election, it has been claimed.

Both the RMT transport union and a commuter group cited the lengthy dispute which has brought misery to passengers as a reason why the Conservatives lost seats in Thursday’s poll.

The Tories were unseated in a number of constituencies including Eastbourne, Brighton Kemptown and Croydon. In Hastings, Amber Rudd the Home Secretary held on by a whisker.

Services on the line to the south coast have been disrupted by a wave of strikes over Southern Rail’s plans to scrap train conductors.