Oliver Dowden has resigned as chairman of the Conservative Party after it suffered two by-election defeats.
The MP said in a letter to the Prime Minister that 'we cannot carry on with business as usual' and 'someone must take responsibility' after Liberal Democrats overturned a 24,000 Tory majority to win in Tiverton and Honiton and Labour reclaimed Wakefield.
The contests, triggered by the resignation of disgraced Tories, offered voters the chance to give their verdict on Boris Johnson just weeks after 41 per cent of his own MPs cast their ballots against him. Mr Dowden said in his letter to the PM the by-elections 'are the latest in a run of very poor results for our party'.
