Kevin McCarthy ousted as House speaker as Democrats join Republicans to topple him

The 216-210 vote, forced by a contingent of hard-right conservatives, throws the House and its Republican leadership into chaos

Kevin McCarthy (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Kevin McCarthy has been voted out of his role as speaker of the US House of Representatives in an extraordinary showdown, a first in US history that was forced by a contingent of hard-right conservatives and threw the House and its Republican leadership into chaos.

His chief rival, Matt Gaetz, forced the vote on the “motion to vacate”, drawing together more than a handful of conservative Republican critics of the speaker and many Democrats who said he was unworthy of leadership.