01:55

A chastened Theresa May has apologised to her party colleagues, after squandering the Conservatives’ majority.

In a contrite interview, May said:

I wanted to achieve a larger majority. That was not the result we secured. And I’m sorry for all those candidates and hard-working party workers who weren’t successful, but also for those colleagues who were MPs and ministers and contributed so much to our country and who lost their seats and who didn’t deserve to lose their seats.

Her explicit apology came after some colleagues were infuriated by an earlier statement in Downing Street that failed to acknowledge the disastrous election result, which many regard as self-inflicted.

Nicky Morgan, who was sacked as education secretary by May, said:

I’m reeling. I think we’re all reeling. I think there’s real fury against the campaign and the buck stops at the top.