Police cadet collapses after waiting an hour for Boris Johnson speech

The embattled PM gives a speech on police recruitment at a Police training academy in Wakefield. [Courtesy]

A police trainee appeared to faint during a shambolic speech by Boris Johnson - after being kept waiting for more than an hour after the PM's late arrival.

The embattled PM was giving a speech on police recruitment at a Police training academy in Wakefield.

But he walked on stage more than an hour and a quarter after he was originally scheduled to speak.

Trainees had been lined up on the back of the stage for almost an hour by the time Mr Johnson's speech ended.

In the final moments of his speech, one trainee standing directly behind the PM put her hand to her head and sat down on the floor, apparently unable to stand any longer.

The embattled PM had fielded a string of embarrassing questions about the resignation of his brother Jo earlier today.

And he spent a lengthy section of the speech jokingly trying to remember the police caution, which officers are required to learn during training.

Mr Johnson looked behind him and asked if the trainee was alright.

As the officer then took a seat with her head bowed, he said: "I'm so sorry, OK that is a signal for me actively to wind up."

He then continued to criticise Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for not backing his plans for a snap general election.

The officer stood up minutes later, just before Johnson left the stage.

Mr Johnson was scheduled to speak at 4pm. Police officers assembled on the stage at around 4.45pm, but he did not arrive

Mr Johnson finally took to the stage at around 5.18pm, an hour and 20 minutes late.

He left the stage at around 5.40pm.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott criticised Mr Johnson over the incident.

She tweeted: "Johnson kept these trainees waiting on their feet, and unsurprisingly, one of them appears to have felt faint.

"He saw that happen, and he ignored it. Tells you everything you need to know about this man - and how much he really cares about the police service.''