Keir Starmer was heckled during his major speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool – but the Prime Minister batted the disruption away to carry on with his address
Keir Starmer’s first major conference speech as Prime Minister has been interrupted by a heckler demanding an end to arms sales to Israel.
Towards the end of the PM’s address Daniel Riley confronted the Labour leader before he was hauled out of the arena at the party’s annual conference. Student Mr Riley, 18, said he was infuriated by “hypocrisy” over British weapons being used in the Middle East.
But the PM – who had glitter thrown over him during last year’s speech by a protestor – quipped back: “This guy has obviously got a pass from the 2019 conference.” He added: “While he’s been protesting, we’ve been changing the party. That’s why we got a Labour Government.”
Mr Riley, who was briefly detained by police before being released, told reporters outside the conference venue: “When I heard him speak about how he wanted a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, just the hypocrisy that every day we’re still sending British bombs and British bullets that are being used right now. And the Prime Minister could stop that right now but he doesn’t.
“He says he wants this to stop but he doesn’t lift a finger.” He said he was surprised that he was the only heckler during Mr Starmer’s speech.
“What’s happened is a complete failure of the Labour Party and Keir Starmer, it’s just completely sick,” he said. Mr Riley called on the Government to do “whatever it takes” to end the “genocide”.
“I was just angry, he says he wants a ceasefire but not taking any of the actions that he could,” the student said. Asked if he was happy with Mr Starmer’s leadership, he said: “Absolutely not.”
He said he has had his conference pass revoked and is likely to be thrown out of the Labour Party. Responding to Mr Starmer’s remark about him, he said he had joined the party in 2022 because he believed in the leader.
During Mr Starmer’s address on Tuesday – the first speech of a Labour PM to the party’s conference in 15 years – he addressed the crisis in the Middle East and demanded a ceasefire in Gaza.
He told delegates: “This is a time when great forces demand a decisive government prepared to face the future. We can see that again in the Middle East today.
“So I call again for restraint and de-escalation at the border between Lebanon and Israel. I call again – for all parties to step back from the brink. I call again – for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The return of the hostages. And a recommitment to the two state solution. A recognised Palestinian state. Alongside a safe and secure Israel.”
Ahead of next month’s Budget – which the PM has previously warned will be ‘painful’ – Mr Starmer said there would be difficult choices ahead. He said the Tories had wasted 14 years “mining the pits of division”, adding: “Do not let them shift the blame – the state of our country is on them”.
But he added that there is a need for the country to “turn our collar up and face the storm” as he promised to rebuild the country.
He said: “What will people get to show for it? They’ll get a country with its future back. Renewed by respect and service. Rebalanced towards the interests of working people. Confident in its values and story, because together we took action.
“Millions who feel better off, without being told they are by politicians. Going to the supermarket without a calculator, because the nation’s numbers now add up.
“More money in their pocket to do the things they love and more faith in public services because once again Labour has rebuilt them.”