Conservative co-chairman quits after major Tory by-election losses

Conservative co-chairman quits after major Tory by-election losses

Conservative co-chair Oliver Dowden has resigned following two major by-election losses to Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems overturned a huge Tory majority in Tiverton and Honiton, making it their third by-election victory over the Tories within a year.

Labour retook the seat of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, after losing it in the 2019 general election.

In a letter to Mr Johnson, Mr Dowden said Tory supporters were “distressed and disappointed”.

He wrote: “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.”

He called his resignation “a deeply personal decision that I have taken alone” after a “run of very poor results for our party”.

The Tories disappointing by-election results follows months of criticism of Mr Johnson over parties in Downing Street during lockdown.

Soaring inflation and concerns over the cost of living have prompted stringer calls for government intervention after a narrower vote of confidence in Mr Johnson earlier this month.

Speaking in Rwanda, where he is attending a Commonwealth heads of government meeting, Mr Johnson said: “We’ve got to recognise there is more we’ve got to do and we certainly will.

“We will keep going, addressing the concerns of people until we get through this patch.”

In a letter to Mr Dowden the PM wrote that he understood his “disappointment” at the by-election losses, but added that the government had been “elected with a historic mandate just over two years ago”.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak also expressed his sadness over Mr Dowden’s departure.

“We all take responsibility for the results and I’m determined to continue working to tackle the cost of living, including delivering NICs [National Insurance contribution] changes saving 30 million people on average £330,” he added.