Humiliating Photos Reveal Terrible Turnout For Key Speeches At Tory Conference

<div><img src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/68e39cef18000003a45d1243.png?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale" alt="A snap of the moment Mel Stride went on stage to deliver his keynote conference speech" data-caption="A snap of the moment Mel Stride went on stage to deliver his keynote conference speech" data-credit-link-back="" data-credit="Sky News' Amanda Akass/ X" />A snap of the moment Mel Stride went on stage to deliver his keynote conference speech</div><div class="content-list-component text"><p>The number of delegates attending key events at the Conservative Party conference seems to be depressingly low, judging by photos of the main hall.</p><p>It’s the party’s first annual gathering since Kemi Badenoch won the leadership contest last November and the atmosphere appears to be particularly flat.</p><p>While it’s not too surprising – considering the Tories’ historic loss at the 2024 general election and how they are currently polling at just 16% according to YouGov – it’s a bleak reminder of just how much has changed for the party who were in government only 15 months ago.</p><p>Sky News’ Amanda Akass noted that it was “not exactly a packed hall” for the shadow chancellor Mel Stride’s speech today – and attached a photo of a room which appeared to be about two-thirds empty.</p></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Not exactly a packed hall for Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride’s big speech at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ConservativePartyConference?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ConservativePartyConference</a><a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SkyNews</a><a href="https://t.co/YS8Y6PkU6H">pic.twitter.com/YS8Y6Pk