Kemi Badenoch slaps down BBC presenter over Tory conference claim: 'Simply not true!'

Kemi Badenoch has denied claims that Tory conference is "half empty". The Conservative leader said the gathering in Manchester was "one of the first conferences I've been to where it's really felt like the members owned it".

She added that she had been up late last night singing Sweet Caroline at a Young Conservatives event. Asked if she was concerned that the main hall of the conference had been half empty for many speeches, Mrs Badenoch told BBC Breakfast: "That's simply not true." She added that it had been "standing room only" for her first speech on Sunday.

The Tory leader continued: "We have had our fringes very full. People have been complaining to me about having to queue to get in.

"You can hear my voice is hoarse. I was at an absolutely packed Young Conservatives event where we were singing Sweet Caroline. I probably shouldn't have been doing that.

"We're having a great time, and I'm really pleased with the number of people who have come to our conference.

She added: "A lot of the people who came just because we were in government, the corporate lobbyists, yes, they're not there, but our members are here.

"This is one of the first conferences I've been to where it has really felt like the members owned it, and I'm really proud of that."