A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after Sir Keir Starmer has been covered in glitter by a protester who stormed the stage at the Labour Party Conference.
The start of the Labour leader’s speech in Liverpool was disrupted shortly after 2pm on Tuesday by the protester who shouted: “true democracy is citizen led”.
Merseyside Police confirmed on Tuesday afternoon a 28-year-old man from Surrey was arrested on suspicion of S39 assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance.
“He has been taken to a police station where he will be questioned by police,” said a spokesperson.
New protest group People Demand Democracy said the protester was one of its members. He was seen wearing a T-shirt bearing the group’s name.
The incident saw Sir Keir swiftly push the activist away from the microphone with his right arm, before security arrived.
The man continued to shout “politics needs an update”, “we demand a people’s house”, “we are in crisis” and “our whole future is in jeopardy” as he was wrestled to the ground.
He was booed as he was dragged from the room by security, while Sir Keir removed his jacket, which was covered in glitter.
Amid extended cheers and applause, the Labour leader opened his speech by saying: “If he thinks that bothers me, he doesn’t know me.
“Protest or power - that is why we changed our party conference. That’s why we changed our party.
“And it’s just as well it was me, as my wife’s dress is really beautiful,” he added, laughing, with glitter covering his hair, shoulders and hands.
People Demand Democracy says on social media platform X, where it had around 175 followers just after the protest, it is calling for “a fair proportional voting system and a permanent legally-binding national House of Citizens, selected by democratic lottery to tackle the major crises facing the UK”.
Sir Keir was introduced by Marie Tidball, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Penistone and Stocksbridge.
He used his speech to praise the spirit of the British people despite the “Tory project to kick the hope out of this country”.
He set his sights on a “decade of national renewal” under Labour, suggesting he wants at least two terms in power.
In a nod to New Labour, Sir Keir said the country had “13 years of ‘things can only get better’ versus 13 years of ‘things have only got worse’”.
“This is what we have to fight: the Tory project to kick the hope out of this country. Drain the reservoirs of our belief.”
He told activists: “I have to warn you: our way back from this will be hard, but know this: what is broken can be repaired. What is ruined can be rebuilt. Wounds do heal. And ultimately that project – their project – will crash against the spirit of working people in this country. They are the source of my hope.”
He said “the fire of change still burns in Britain” and it “lives on inside Labour”.
