Iain Duncan Smith has urged Theresa May to immediately set a date for her departure from Downing Street, or MPs "must do it for her".

The former Conservative leader’s comments come as the party reels from losing more than 1,300 council seats in Thursday’s local elections.

“We have to make a change... the message was loud and clear that, since 29 March, people have decided they are absolutely furious with the political class,” Mr Duncan Smith told LBC.

The Tories lost overall control of 45 councils on Thursday, representing the worst performance by a governing party in the local elections since 1995.

Mr Duncan Smith described the results as “devastating” and said the 1922 committee of Conservative backbenchers should meet again to discuss Ms May’s leadership.

Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage has spent his political career campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson's support for Brexit took many by surprise before the EU referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to agree on a withdrawal deal. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises This was taken from a 2012 speech delivered by Mr Davis. He does not currently support a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson now supports a hard Brexit and resigned from the cabinet in 2018 over Theresa May's strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The US recently issued trade negotiation objectives for future talks with the UK. The country made clear that it expects access to the UK's agriculture industry, reviving the debate about chlorinated chicken. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage does not support the current campaign for a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Despite this quote, in February 2019 Boris Johnson said a no deal Brexit "may yet be the best option for the UK". Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to begin negotiating a deal regarding their future relationship. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May announced that the UK would be leaving the Single Market in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. Her withdrawal deal is yet to be passed. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises A classic from the 2015 general election campaign. David Cameron resigned on 24 June 2016, following the EU referendum result. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises David Davis resigned from his post as Brexit secretary in July 2018 after disagreeing with Theresa May's negotiation strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Michael Gove was one of the most influential Leave voices during the EU referendum campaign. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent backbencher, does not support a second Brexit referendum. He has called the use of this quote "fundamentally dishonest" as it was taken from a 2011 speech discussing the option of referendum before David Cameron entered negotiations with the EU. Such a vote was never held. Twitter/Led By Donkeys

“The committee has to sit again now, urgently, and decide that either the prime minister sets the immediate date for departure or, I’m afraid, they must do it for her,” he said.

The prime minister has responded to the results by urging MPs to support cross-party Brexit talks and find a way to ”break the deadlock” and get a Brexit deal through parliament.

“I negotiated with the EU what I believe is a very good deal for the UK – a deal which allows us to genuinely take back control of our money and our laws,” Ms May wrote in the Mail on Sunday.

“The free movement of people will end – giving us control of our own borders for the first time in decades.

“However, I could not persuade enough of my colleagues to vote for the withdrawal agreement and, regrettably, I have to accept there is no sign of that position changing.

“I understand many of my colleagues find this decision uncomfortable. Frankly, it is not what I wanted, either.

“But we have to find a way to break the deadlock – and I believe the results of the local elections give fresh urgency to this.”

It is unclear how Ms May could be removed from Downing Street if she does not offer her resignation.

The prime minister survived a no-confidence vote held last December, meaning her MPs are unable to mount such a challenge for another 12 months.

A further threat of an imminent challenge to her position was lifted last month when the 1922 Committee’s executive rejected calls to change party rules and allow a second no-confidence vote to be held in June.

Justice secretary David Gauke said the local election results would have been better for the Conservatives if the government had passed its Brexit deal.

“What we need to be doing is addressing the big issue in front of us, which is Brexit,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“We would have had a much better set of election results had we managed to get the prime minister’s meaningful vote through earlier this year and we left the European Union on March 29.

“I think we can look at those local election results as a punishment for both the Labour Party and the Conservative Party for failing to find a way through that situation.”

His comments were echoed by other prominent Conservatives, despite the pro-Remain Liberal Democrats gaining more than 700 council seats.

“The electorate... right across the country want us to get on with Brexit and move on to all the other things they care about,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Radio 4.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

“I share that frustration.”

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable declared the results for his party the best “in the 40 years of our existence”.

Mr Cable said the Liberal Democrats’ opposition to Brexit would help them in the upcoming European elections.

“We are clearly a major force, we are clearly the leading Remain party and we expect to do well on the basis of that,” he told BBC Breakfast.