Theresa May’s attempt to restore momentum to her premiership with promises of help for cash-strapped voters has been overshadowed by a series of bizarre mishaps in a high-profile speech plagued by unexpected interruptions.
The Prime Minister suffered the indignity of being presented with a P45 unemployment card by a stage invader.
She struggled with a persistent cough which repeatedly brought her oration to a halt.
Theresa May’s keynote speech was interrupted by a persistent cough (Joe Giddens/PA)
And as she reached the climax of her address, letters fell off the slogan Building A Country That Works For Everyone on the backdrop behind her.
The F in the word “for” on the slogan behind her fell down during the Prime Minister’s speech (Peter Byrne/PA)
Mrs May used the 65-minute keynote speech to the Conservative conference in Manchester to announce plans for legislation to impose a cap on energy bills.
And she promised an additional £2 billion is to be provided to build “a new generation of council houses”.
But it is understood that the additional cash, for which local authorities and housing associations will be invited to bid, may fund as few as 25,000 new homes over the next five years.
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And aides said the draft energy bill to be published next week may never become law, if regulator Ofgem is able to come up with its own proposals for an effective cap more quickly.
Comedian Lee Nelson was arrested for breach of the peace after handing the P45 to Mrs May in front of a hall packed with activists.
His stunt raised questions about the PM’s security, after it emerged he had attended the conference with legitimate accreditation.
Downing Street sources insisted that Mrs May was “happy” with how the speech had gone, blaming a “conference cold” and the combined effect of 28 broadcast interviews and 19 receptions for the croaky voice which repeatedly forced her to stop.
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At one point, she was handed a cough sweet by Philip Hammond to help her carry on, joking that it was not often that the Chancellor gave anything away for free.
(Joe Giddens/PA)
And after she had finished, she tweeted a photo of a range of throat medications next to a copy of her speech, with the single-word comment “*coughs*”.
After a four-day conference dominated by speculation over Boris Johnson’s leadership ambitions, Mrs May made no mention of her Foreign Secretary by name, instead praising the “team” around her in the Cabinet.
(Owen Humphreys/PA)
And she singled out for praise Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, often tipped as one of Mr Johnson’s main potential rivals for the top post.
She apologised to Tory activists for running an election campaign earlier this year which was “too scripted, too presidential” and allowed the Conservatives to be painted as the party of continuity at a time when voters wanted change.
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And she repeatedly assured delegates that, following the botched poll, “we have listened and we have learned”.
An Ofgem spokesman said: “Ofgem’s number one priority is to protect consumers.
“We share the Government’s concern that the market is not working for all consumers, especially the vulnerable, and will work with the Government on their plans announced today to better protect consumers on poor value deals.”