Thatcher and tumbleweed dominate Tory conference

Attendees at the Conservative Party conference could be forgiven for forgetting who their leader is, as Kemi Badenoch's face is not the most prominent in the Manchester exhibition centre.

- MILLIE COOKE ARCHIE MITCHELL

Instead, the main hall is plastered with pictures of Margaret Thatcher as the party harks back to its days under the Iron Lady’s leadership. The merchandise stall is flogging mugs, Christmas baubles and bottles of whisky bearing Thatcher’s face as the Conservatives celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday.

Despite the milestone, the prominence of Thatcher makes the absence of Ms Badenoch all the more stark. After polling guru Sir John Curtice said the Tory leader has failed to make an impression on the country, it is the sign of a party unsure of itself, clinging to a bygone era in which it had a strong, unwavering leader.