Conservative Party conference opens with tributes to late Queen

Conservative Party members stood for a minute’s silence in memory of the late Queen on the first day of the party’s conference.

Liz Truss and her Cabinet were on the front row of hall one at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (ICC) as members remained standing to sing the national anthem in praise of King Charles III.

Members stood and cheered as the Prime Minister entered the hall at the start of proceedings, ahead of welcoming remarks by the president of the National Conservative Convention, Fleur Butler.

Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt paid tribute to the late Queen, flanked by photographs.

Ms Mordaunt said: “She saw us through change and challenge, constitutional crisis, conflict, Covid.

“And every time we battled, we had Her Majesty alongside us, advising us, guiding us, unifying us all.”

Party members were shown a video montage of recollections of the Queen from former Conservative prime ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

“She was an extraordinary symbol of national unity, she brought the country together, but she also did so much to represent and symbolise Britain abroad.”

Mrs May added: “One of the striking characteristics of her late Majesty was her devotion to duty.”

Mr Johnson said: “I think there has been no other monarch in our history who has (seen) such a phenomenal increase in the prosperity, in the opportunity, in the longevity, of the British people as she has in her reign, and for that reason alone I think that she should be recorded as Elizabeth the Great.”