Some Tory members stumbled on the lyrics to the national anthem ahead of Kemi Badenoch’s speech on the closing day of their party conference yesterday.
Before the Conservative leader came to the main stage in Manchester, members stood up to belt out ‘God Save the King’ but a handful got stuck on the verses.
While most audience members were able to get it spot on, one was heard cutting out “happy and glorious”.
Meanwhile, another was seen singing ‘God Save the Queen’ at one point.
A Tory source joked: “I wouldn’t worry too much, they’ll probably defect to Reform next week.”
Tory MP Andrew Rosindell said Conservatives had initially opted to replace God Save the King with pop music, according to GB News.
But party officials made an apparent U-turn on Tuesday, telling the Romford MP the country’s anthem will be playing.
Nigel Farage concluded Reform UK’s annual conference in Birmingham last month with the national anthem, performed by Andrea Jenkyns, the mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.
Concluding her conference speech, Kemi Badenoch told activists: “I stand for stronger borders and a stronger economy so that the young can fulfil their potential. The old can live out their years in dignity and everyone can achieve their dreams to own a home, run a business, raise a family.
“This is the Britain I stand for. If this is the Britain you stand for, then stand with me and let’s build it, together.”
Following the speech, Labour accused Kemi Badenoch of being in “complete denial”.
Anna Turley, the Labour chairman, said: “The public saw the Tories’ disastrous blueprint for Britain across their 14 years of failure in government, and the Conservatives still won’t apologise for the mess they left.
“Kemi Badenoch set herself a new ‘golden economic rule’ today and broke it immediately. It’s the same old Tories, with the same old policies without a plan. They didn’t work then and you can’t trust them now.
“Only Labour can renew Britain. Real wages have grown more in the first ten months of this Labour Government than in the first ten years under the Tories. Only Labour can be trusted to grow our economy, secure our borders, and make working people better off.”