Hancock was told he would be compared to Arnold Rimmer from Red Dwarf, pictured

It would have at least have woken up those who were nodding off at the back. But Jeremy Wright, the culture secretary, has axed plans to give his speech to the Conservative Party conference as a hologram.

The idea was hatched by his predecessor at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock, before he was promoted to health secretary.

Wright, a reputed technophobe, initially considered the idea but has now ruled it out amid fears it could so easily become “an embarrassing fiasco”.

A Conservative Party insider said: “Last year we couldn’t even manage to keep letters in place on a backdrop behind the prime minister as she gave her speech to conference, so there was absolutely no bloody way we were