The Cabinet rushed to defend the Prime Minister, speaking of her bravery and resilience in finishing the speech. However, it capped a disastrous conference week for the Conservatives with the annual gathering in Manchester dominated by a simmering Cabinet row over Boris Johnson's determination not to allow Brexit to be derailed.

In an article for the Telegraph, Nick Timothy, Mrs May's former chief of staff, says that the blame for this week's events must lie with the entire Government.

"This week was the opportunity for the Tories to reset and show the country not only that they understand the need for change, but that they have the policies to change people’s lives for the better. Unfortunately, they failed to take their opportunity," he writes.

"This is partly down to bad luck, because the Prime Minister’s speech – if anybody hears it – contained a consistent argument.

"But where was the policy earlier in the week? Where was the plan to make our economy truly dynamic? What is the future for school reform? What should we expect from the review of higher education? What about the cost of living? Several policies felt like they had been watered down due to disagreements between ministers. The Tories need to get their act together, and fast."