A man who confronted Jeremy Corbyn over abuse and anti-Semitism has spoken out after it emerged he is a Tory activist who's been on Question Time four times.
Ryan Jacobsz, 36, is a father-of-two who lives in Hessle, East Yorkshire and has canvassed for the Conservative Party after moving to the UK from South Africa.
He confronted Mr Corbyn over his "nice old grandpa act" and the treatment of Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth on a Question Time election special on Friday night.
Ms Smeeth walked out of the 2016 launch of Labour’s anti-Semitism inquiry after activist Marc Wadsworth accused her of working “hand-in-hand” with a right-wing newspaper. Black activist Mr Wadsworth, who said he didn’t know she was Jewish, was later expelled from Labour after a disciplinary body found he breached a rule preventing conduct which is “prejudicial” or “grossly detrimental to the Party”.
Mr Jacobsz interrupted the Labour leader's explanation of why he was seen talking to Mr Wadsworth, saying: "Watch the video!"
Speaking to Hull Live, he said he was planning to comment in a different way but he attacked the Labour leader when something "clicked" in him.
He said: "I had planned a different question and prepped it up because it's a great experience on the night.
"And then Corbyn went for this persona with this righteous guy attitude and at that point, something clicked within me."
Mr Jacobsz was criticised by many online after it emerged he had appeared on the show several times.
BBC guidance on applying to be on Question Time suggests audience members do not apply more than once in 10 years.
It says: "If you have been in a QT audience within the past ten years we are delighted that you want to do it all over again, but please give others a chance and don't apply this time round."
The MatesJacob Twitter account produced screenshots of the activist apparently speaking on Question Time in Peterborough, Scarborough and Lincoln since 2017.
However, there is no rule against being a political activist and appearing on Question Time.
The BBC said the audience was roughly equally split between Tory and Labour supporters, with a smaller number for each of the Lib Dems and SNP .
Mr Jacobsz told Hull Live: "The difference with politics in this country [Britain] and my native South Africa, is that it is not a forgone conclusion who will win, so that's nice compared South Africa."
Boris Johnson was also laughed at and booed by some audience members - who barracked him for racist comments and calling gay men "bum boys".
And Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson got a rough ride over her support for Tory austerity during the Coalition.
Mr Corbyn replied to Mr Jacobsz saying: "Nobody should suffer any abuse in public life or privately.
"Nobody should suffer abuse and Ruth Smeeth and others have suffered the most unbelievable levels of abuse.
He added: "It was a Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered because she stood up in public life.
"I simply say to you that bad behaviour, misogynism, racism in any form is absolutely not acceptable in any form whatsoever in my party, or in our society."
The audience member asked again: "Why were you talking happily to that same heckler" and "why would Labour female MPs need protection at Labour Party conference?"
Mr Corbyn replied: "I've had many conversations with Ruth Smeeth since then," adding: "You don't know what was said between us."
- An earlier version of this story said Marc Wadsworth 'heckled' Ms Smeeth. We have since updated the wording after Mr Wadsworth contacted us to say this was untrue. We are happy to make clear what happened.
