Tory MPs rally around Theresa May and warn rebels not to plot against the PM as fallout from conference speech continues
Some MPs are said to be plotting against the Prime Minister after her conference speech
TORY MPs rallied around Theresa May tonight after her chaotic conference speech - warning rebels not to move against the PM.
Dozens of Conservatives praised Mrs May for battling through her speech after it was interrupted by a prankster and she started to lose her voice.
And they called on rogue backbenchers to stop stirring up trouble in the wake of the bizarre events.
The Prime Minister's radical vision to draw young people away from Jeremy Corbyn was overshadowed by the string of mishaps.
But after today's speech in Manchester, senior Tories argued that Mrs May's success in struggling through was a sign of strength, not weakness.
Scottish Tories leader Ruth Davidson said: "If ever the PM needed a metaphor for service and duty and resolution through adversity, that battling performance was it! Huge respect."
Ex-minister George Freeman added: "What a woman. Her voice going after a gruelling week and 15 months of the toughest job, you can feel the admiration for her tenacity."
And James Cleverly said: "The PM spoke in her speech about dealing with tough situations, and then did just that with the cough and the prankster."
MP Mark Pritchard, a trade envoy for Mrs May, revealed that some of his colleagues were using the speech as an excuse to try and topple the PM.
He wrote on Twitter: "For small number of MPs texting MPs asking what we thought of PM's speech (or circling above) one message: there is no vacancy at Number 10!"
The Prime Minister is seen as vulnerable after Boris Johnson repeatedly intervened in the Brexit debate.
Mrs May and her ministers repeatedly had to insist during party conference that there were no splits in the Cabinet, prompting speculation she could be under threat.
Today's speech laid out new policies on housing, energy, mental health and tuition fees, in a bold bid to capture the support of young voters.
But the Prime Minister was hit with a triple whammy of trouble when comedian Simon Brodkin rushed on stage to present her with a fake P45, she struggled to speak thanks to a bad cough and the lettering on stage started to disintegrate.
