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Amber Rudd caught ordering Boris Johnson to stand and clap Theresa May's 'disastrous' conference speech

Home Secretary had to tell the Foreign Secretary to get to his feet and applaud

Rob Merrick
Deputy Political Editor
Wednesday 04 October 2017 13:27 BST
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Theresa May's speech breaks down due to coughing fit

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Boris Johnson had to be told to stand up and applaud Theresa May’s disastrous conference speech, throwing his loyalty into fresh question.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd was caught on film ordering the Foreign Secretary to get to his feet, when the Prime Minister’s agonising address finally concluded.

The episode follows Mr Johnson’s undermining of Ms May’s Brexit stance in the run-up to the Manchester conference – triggering calls from some senior Conservatives for him to be sacked.

He did stand up when admonished by the Home Secretary, who has repeatedly criticised his behaviour before and after the Brexit referendum.

Later, when asked if she had given Mr Johnson a ticking off, Ms Rudd grinned at reporters, before eventually replying: "Boris will always do the right thing."

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