Theresa May told to 'resign' by heckler during Welsh Conservative Party conference speech

Intervention comes as voters punish both Tories and Labour for Brexit chaos

Theresa May has been told to "resign" by an audience member during an address to Conservative party members in Wales.

At a speech to party faithful as the Tories endured major local election losses, a heckler told the prime minister: "Why don't you resign? The Nation Convention don't want you, we don't want you."

The man was escorted from the room to jeers and shouts of "get out" from other party members, while Ms May responded by saying "good afternoon" in Welsh.

She then drew laughter and applause from the hall when she told the conference: "It's great to be back in North Wales again - I have to say my experience of North Wales is that everybody I meet here is friendly."

It comes as early results indicated voters had punished both the Tories and Labour for the ongoing Brexit chaos in the local elections in England.

Ms May told the Welsh Conservative conference in Llangollen that the local elections were "very difficult for our party".

The prime minister said: "We have the privilege of governing our country at a momentous time and we have a responsibility of delivering something truly historic.

"What is momentous and historic is seldom simple and straightforward.

"But I think there was a simple message from yesterday's elections to both us and the Labour Party - just get on and deliver Brexit."

Backbench Tories have been quick to blame Ms May for the poor showing at the polls, with Brexiteer Sir Bernard Jenkin saying voters thought the prime minister had "lost the plot".

"They [voters] can see she is not in control of events," he said.

"Certainly, among Conservative activists and council candidates, there is an almost universal feeling that it is time for her to move on."

Former cabinet minister Priti Patel said voters felt Ms May was "part of the problem", adding: "We need change, we need a change of leadership."

With around half of results from local elections in England declared, the Conservatives had shed 462 councillors and lost control of 19 authorities, with councils including Chelmsford, Winchester and Bath falling directly into the hands of the Lib Dems.

But it was also a tough night for Labour, which lost control of councils in its traditional heartlands like Burnley, Hartlepool and Bolsover, as well as some 60 seats.