Oliver Dowden resigns as Conservative party chair in wake of byelection losses

Tory MP says someone must take responsibility' for defeats, amid growing pressure on Boris Johnson

Oliver Dowden has resigned as Conservative chair after the party's disastrous double byelection losses in Wakefield and in Tiverton and Honiton, saying someone must take responsibility" for a recent run of poor results.

The Tory MP's resignation letter, also sent in a tweet, comes after the party lost two seats it had held in a single night. Labour took Wakefield and the Liberal Democrats overturned a 24,000-plus majority to snatch Tiverton and Honiton.