Senior Scottish Tory's ‘tooth falls out’ mid-speech on conference stage

A senior Scottish Conservative figure had a dental malfunction in the middle of a speech on education during the party’s conference.

Stephen Kerr’s teething problems continue a conference of illness and mouth-based misfortune for the party.

Douglas Ross was forced to pull out of First Minister’s Questions due to a “seized throat” and is expected to give a much shortened speech on Saturday due to the illness.

In addition to this, Mr Kerr, the party’s chief whip, was replacing education spokesperson Oliver Mundell who was struck down with Covid and unable to announce the party’s flagship new education policy of scrapping the Curriculum of Excellence.

Stephen Kerr, whose teeth fell out mid-speech.

Instead, his speech was overshadowed by a persistent dental malfunction which saw the MSP fiddle with his front teeth as he attempted to prevent them from falling out.

He said: “I am having a problem with my teeth my afternoon.”

He later apologised for "unintended cosmetic effects that I hope will not reoccur”.

At one point during his address of members, the politician picked up what he later explained was a crown from the floor after it fell out, and continued his speech.

The awkward moment played out as the conference was streamed out live to members.

Mr Kerr later took to Twitter to explain the incident.

He said: “I can’t quite believe my crown fell out. One thing definitely not to try on stage at a Conservative Party Conference.”

Mr Kerr was introducing a panel of MSPs who were set to debate the Scottish Conservatives’ new policy of scrapping Curriculum for Excellence.

The speech was also the final speech ahead of the conference being addressed by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

Theresa May struggled with her voice during a speech in 2017 when letters on the screen behind the Prime Minister also began to fall off.

Simon Brodkin had also pranked the then Prime Minister with a fake P45.

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