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| Theresa May: Tories rally round PM after speech woes | Theresa May: Tories rally round PM after speech woes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Tory MPs have rallied round Theresa May after her conference speech on Wednesday was marred by mishaps. | Tory MPs have rallied round Theresa May after her conference speech on Wednesday was marred by mishaps. |
| James Cleverly said he was "proud" of the PM for contending with a persistent cough and a prankster. John Redwood said MPs backed her "strong message". | James Cleverly said he was "proud" of the PM for contending with a persistent cough and a prankster. John Redwood said MPs backed her "strong message". |
| The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said that while many MPs wanted her to stay as leader, there were "emerging plots". | |
| These involved Tory MPs trying to get support to approach Mrs May privately and persuade her to stand aside. | |
| This group will only act if they feel they have the numbers to do so "quickly and cleanly", our political editor said, adding: "It is just not clear at the moment where the numbers really lie." | |
| In the keynote address in Manchester - billed in advance as Mrs May's opportunity to assert her authority after her decision to call a snap election backfired and amid continuing Brexit divisions within the party - she apologised to activists for her shortcomings during this summer's campaign. | In the keynote address in Manchester - billed in advance as Mrs May's opportunity to assert her authority after her decision to call a snap election backfired and amid continuing Brexit divisions within the party - she apologised to activists for her shortcomings during this summer's campaign. |
| She put forward a range of new policies, including an extra £2bn to build 25,000 new council houses and social homes for rent by 2021 and draft legislation for a cap on standard tariff energy bills, which she said were part of her mission to improve people's lives and promote a "British dream". | She put forward a range of new policies, including an extra £2bn to build 25,000 new council houses and social homes for rent by 2021 and draft legislation for a cap on standard tariff energy bills, which she said were part of her mission to improve people's lives and promote a "British dream". |
| However, the aftermath of the speech was dominated by the prime minister's struggle in delivering it and questions about what it meant for her future. | However, the aftermath of the speech was dominated by the prime minister's struggle in delivering it and questions about what it meant for her future. |
| A nagging cough and croaky voice forced the PM to stop on more than one occasion but she sought to make light of her troubles, cracking a joke when Chancellor Philip Hammond handed her a cough sweet. | |
| A succession of cabinet ministers, including Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt, praised the speech afterwards. | A succession of cabinet ministers, including Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt, praised the speech afterwards. |
| A No 10 source confirmed it had received calls from colleagues "offering support" to the prime minister and declared "resignation is not an issue" for Mrs May. | |
| What now for May? | What now for May? |
| By Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor | By Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor |
| Politics is certainly cruel, and clearly the prime minister was the victim of some appallingly bad luck. | Politics is certainly cruel, and clearly the prime minister was the victim of some appallingly bad luck. |
| A former minister told me that after the election and Grenfell it would only have taken one more event to trigger her exit and this "was the event". | A former minister told me that after the election and Grenfell it would only have taken one more event to trigger her exit and this "was the event". |
| In normal political times, it is probably the case that what one minister described as a "tragedy" would have led to a prime minister being forced out or quitting. | In normal political times, it is probably the case that what one minister described as a "tragedy" would have led to a prime minister being forced out or quitting. |
| But these aren't normal times. Allies of Theresa May say Wednesday's events have shown her resilience and determination in spades, demonstrating exactly why she deserves to stay in the job. | But these aren't normal times. Allies of Theresa May say Wednesday's events have shown her resilience and determination in spades, demonstrating exactly why she deserves to stay in the job. |
| Read more from our political editor | Read more from our political editor |
| But backbench Tory MP Mark Pritchard said on Twitter that a "small number" of colleagues were raising questions over her leadership in text messages. | |
| Mr Pritchard, who was last month appointed as one of Mrs May's trade envoys, warned those "circling above" that there was only one message: "There is no vacancy at No 10." | |
| John Redwood, a former minister in John Major's government, said Mrs May had a "lot more to give" in her role and that in discussions with colleagues after the speech he detected a "lot of warmth and support for her". | |
| "I and many Conservative MPs like me are fully behind her and we are sorry for her that her voice went at the wrong moment," he told the BBC. | "I and many Conservative MPs like me are fully behind her and we are sorry for her that her voice went at the wrong moment," he told the BBC. |
| "But we do not think it spoils the underlying message and the strong point she made to the party that it is our job to get on delivering a strong Brexit." | "But we do not think it spoils the underlying message and the strong point she made to the party that it is our job to get on delivering a strong Brexit." |
| Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi said the PM had shown her "grit and determination" in the face of adversity and "of course" would stay on as leader. | Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi said the PM had shown her "grit and determination" in the face of adversity and "of course" would stay on as leader. |
| "When she gets a good deal from our Euro partners the whole narrative will change," he told Channel 4 News. "She is focused and will deliver." | "When she gets a good deal from our Euro partners the whole narrative will change," he told Channel 4 News. "She is focused and will deliver." |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Business Secretary Greg Clark said people admired the "poise" and "guts" the PM showed to get through her speech. | |
| He also said the fact that a comedian was able to get within yards of the prime minister and hand her a mock P45 redundancy notice showed a "weakness in the system". | |
| Security at future Conservative events is to be reviewed after the incident. | |
| Prankster Simon Brodkin - also known as his TV persona Lee Nelson - was arrested by Greater Manchester Police after briefly interrupting the PM and giving her a sheaf of paper he claimed was from Boris Johnson. | Prankster Simon Brodkin - also known as his TV persona Lee Nelson - was arrested by Greater Manchester Police after briefly interrupting the PM and giving her a sheaf of paper he claimed was from Boris Johnson. |
| He was later released, with the police saying he had "legitimate accreditation" to attend the event. | He was later released, with the police saying he had "legitimate accreditation" to attend the event. |
| "You can't have a situation in which the prime minister is standing and someone of completely unknown intentions rushes onto the stage," Mr Clark added. | |
| To add to Mrs May's woes, some of the letters fell off the conference stage backdrop behind her during the speech. By the end it read: "Building a country that works or everyon." | To add to Mrs May's woes, some of the letters fell off the conference stage backdrop behind her during the speech. By the end it read: "Building a country that works or everyon." |
| Labour seized on the confusion, publishing a spoof image on social media suggesting their opponents had run out of ideas, while also criticising Conservative housing and energy policies as limited and timid. | Labour seized on the confusion, publishing a spoof image on social media suggesting their opponents had run out of ideas, while also criticising Conservative housing and energy policies as limited and timid. |
| And former Conservative deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft said there was an air of a party that did not "know what it is doing". | And former Conservative deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft said there was an air of a party that did not "know what it is doing". |