'Please stay!' Rishi Sunak holds 'thank you' speech in makeshift nightclub full of deluded Tory fans

The deeply unusual event was billed as a 'thank you reception' - and will be Rishi Sunak's only appearance at this year's conference - and he had a message for the people battling to replace him

Rishi Sunak gave his only speech of Tory conference in a makeshift nightclub full of applauding Tory fans - one of whom begged him to stay.

The deeply unusual event was billed as a "thank you reception" - and will be Mr Sunak's only appearance at this year's conference. He's heading away from Birmingham to give the four candidates to replace him a clear run - which so far they've used to squabble, backbite and declare maternity pay has gone "too far".

Mr Sunak's speech was light on apology, given he led his party to their worst electoral defeat in history. "I am only sorry that your efforts could not deliver the results you deserved," he told the crowd. "It wasn't you," a member shouted back.

Mr Sunak insisted the Tories could not let Keir Starmer "rewrite history" and spent most of the speech claiming a string of victories from the Tories' disastrous 14 years in office. And the vibes in the room were equally ill-judged. The Birmingham ICC's grand symphony hall had been given a makeover which made it look like a 1990s provincial nightclub.

The room had previously played host to a string of significant leader's speeches - particularly Theresa May's "citizens of nowhere" speech. But today it was fitted with huge neon Tory logos behind the stage and banging tunes blasted from the sound system. And attendees were given a token for one free drink upon entry.

But closing his speech, he had a message for his supporters - and for the rivals vying for to be the next leader. "Whoever wins this contest, give them your backing. We must end the division and the backbiting," he said.

"We mustn't nurse old grudges, but build new friendships. We must always remember what unites us rather than obsessing on where we might differ. Because when we turn in on ourselves, we lose, and the country ends up with a Labour Government."