Heckler bursts onto stage and covers Keir Starmer in glitter in conference speech chaos
10.10.2023 - 14:15
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Sir Keir Starmer's conference speech kicked off with a heckler invading the stage and throwing glitter over the Labour Party leader.
As Sir Keir began to address the gathering in Liverpool the stage invader ran to his side, shouting “true democracy is citizen led” before being dragged away by security.
The interruption before the speech even got underway was met by boos from the crowd.
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Sir Keir, who has repeatedly tried to highligh a shift in his party since Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, said “protest or power, this is why we changed our party”.
After removing his jacket he said: "If he thinks that bothers me, he doesn’t know me”, before beginning his speech with glitter on the shoulders of his white shirt.
Sir Keir 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," he said. "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