Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden has resigned after two humiliating by-election defeats.
In a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson the Tory MP said "someone must take responsibility" for the losses in Tiverton and Honiton to the Lib Dems and Wakefield to Labour.
The contests, triggered by the resignation of disgraced Tories, offered voters the chance to give their verdict on the PM just weeks after 41 per cent of his own MPs cast their ballots against him.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson vows to 'keep going' after double by-election humiliation
Dowden said in his letter to the PM the by-elections "are the latest in a run of very poor results for our party".
A dramatic swing of almost 30 per cent from the Tories to the Liberal Democrats saw Richard Foord secure a majority of 6,144 in Tiverton and Honiton.
The new Lib Dem MP used his acceptance speech to call for Johnson "to go, and go now", claiming his victory had "sent a shockwave through British politics".
In Wakefield, Simon Lightwood was elected with a majority of 4,925 on a swing of 12.7% from the Tories to Labour.
The previous Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan quit after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy - a crime for which he was jailed for 18 months.
Wakefield was one of the so-called red wall seats won by the Tories in the 2019 general election after being Labour since the 1930s.
A number of Tory MPs have welcomed Dowden's resignation.
Oliver Dowden's letter in full:
“Dear prime minister, it is with great sadness that I must resign as Chairman of the Conservative Party with immediate effect.
"Yesterday's Parliamentary by-elections are the latest in a run of very poor results for our party. Our supporters are distressed and disappointed by recent events, and I share their feelings.
"We cannot carry on with business as usual. Somebody must take responsibility and I have concluded that, in these circumstances, it would not be right for me to remain in office.
"It has been an honour to serve in your Cabinets as Party Chairman, culture secretary and minister for the Cabinet Office.
"In particular, I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our excellent Conservative volunteers and staffers who work so tirelessly for our cause. They are the backbone of our great party and deserve better than this.
"Finally I want to emphasise that this is a deeply personal decision that I have taken alone. I will, as always, remain loyal to the Conservative Party."
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
READ NEXT:
