Cameron steps down but will keep Lords seat for life

David Cameron has stepped back from frontline politics after last week's election defeat but will keep his House of Lords seat for life.

- KATE DEVLIN, DAVID MADDOX

He was given a peerage last November so that Rishi Sunak could make him his foreign secretary. But the former PM has tendered his resignation and will not serve in the shadow cabinet now that the party is out of government.

Also quitting is party chair Richard Holden, who has been blamed by many for the depth of his party’s defeat. He has faced accusations that he “stitched up” a safe seat for himself when he should have been saving other MPs – a charge he denies.

The Independent has been told that Tory MPs started texting Mr Holden at 4am on Friday morning asking why he had yet to tender his resignation.

Rishi Sunak will remain the leader of the Conservatives’ interim shadow cabinet until his replacement is appointed. He stepped down last week in the wake of the election result.