Sir Robert Buckland had some very pointed words for his party colleagues in the immediate aftermath of his defeat in Swindon South.

Speaking from the podium after the result was declared he said: “Do we value those who work to bring people together and to come into politics to do something rather than be someone?”

 “Or do we shrug our shoulders and accept politics as a mere circus?”

Speaking later to the Local Democracy Reporter the former cabinet member under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss said he was not referring to them but said: “Look at the US. The system there is barely able to function because of the divisions.

"I know people in Congress there who have been able to reach across and work with other parties and they say it's impossible now.

“Here it starts with people like Farage but it also infects the body politic of the Conservative party. It’s all about the performance.”

This was perhaps a reference to Conservative MPs such as Suella Braverman and Jacob Rees Mogg who have both said they’d welcome the Reform Party leader into the Tory fold.

Sir Robert Buckland took aim at “ill-discipline” within the Conservative Party.

“I think that we have seen in this election an astonishing ill-discipline within the party,” the former justice secretary said.

“We can see articles being written before a vote is cast at the General Election about the party heading for defeat and what the prognosis should be.

“It is spectacularly unprofessional, ill-disciplined. That is not the Conservative Party I joined and have been an active member of for now nearly 40 years.”

And speaking to the BBC Sir Robert said: "I'm fed up of personal agendas, and jockeying for position. The truth is now with the Conservatives facing this electoral Armageddon, it will be like a group of bald men arguing over a comb.

"I came into politics to actually do Government and to responsibly exercise power in order to make change in this country. I did that in office for many years and I’m proud of my legacy.”

Asked later if he was speaking about an article written by Conservative former home secretary Suella Braverman, Sir Robert replied: “I am afraid that is not an isolated example.”

As for his own future Mr Buckland, Kings Counsel, said he’d finished his fellowship at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and would take up the reins of his career as a lawyer.