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Protestor Interrupts Keir Starmer’s Party Conference Speech

Poppy Lindsey
Keir Starmer speaking at PMQ's 18/10/23

Poppy Lindsey

A protestor from People Demand Democracy has interrupted Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party Conference speech in Liverpool, pouring glitter glitter over the politician as he began to address the crowd. 

What happened during Keir Starmer’s conference speech?

During his first annual conference as leader of the Labour Party, Starmer was dazzled by an unwelcome surprise as an activist took to the stage, sprinkled glitter over the leader, and yelled his demands into the microphone.

The People Demand Democracy protester could be heard shouting “true democracy is citizen-led,” as he ambushed Starmer ahead of his speech.

As the Labour leader appeared to push the activist away, he went on to shout: “politics needs an update,” “we demand a people’s house,” “we are in crisis,” and “our whole future is in jeopardy.”

The 28-year-old has since been arrested on suspicion of assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance.

While Starmer attempted to brush the protestor off, security jumped to his aid and tackled the man to the ground, dragging him off the stage as he continued to voice his demands.

Appearing unfazed, Sir Keir used the incident to his advantage, removing his glitter covered jacket and beginning his speech by saying: “Protest or power, that’s why we’ve changed.”

Who was the protestor?

Yaz Ashmawi is a member of campaign group People Demand Democracy.

The group, who are associated with Just Stop Oil, campaigns for electoral reform in the UK. On their website they state: “We need a democratic alternative that gives the people of the UK a voice.”

People Demand Democracy call for the replacement of the House of Lords with a “permanent citizens’ assembly” named the House of Citizens, as well as proportional representation in elections for the House of Commons. 

On the day of their Labour Party Conference protest, People Demand Democracy activists sent open letters to both the Conservative and Labour Party, setting out the demands Ashmawi later voiced during his stage hijack. 

Ashmawi has since apologised for touching the politician, but stated that he does not regret his protest or using glitter.

Should security have been tighter?

Following the conference, questions have been raised about how the activist managed to get on stage in the first place. 

Conservative MP Harvey Proctor criticised conference security on Twitter/X, stating: “Appalling that a protestor could get so close to Sir Keir Starmer at the Labour Party Conference for so long before security intervened.”

If only they were as quick as the security who ejected Andrew Boff from the Conservative Party Conference.”

It’s not the first time a party conference speech has been interjected by activism. 

A similar disruption occurred during Theresa May’s speech at the 2017 Conservative Party Conference, when a man interrupted by passing the leader a fake P45 document.

After Starmer said he feared the attack could have been far worse, Shadow Justice Minister, Shabana Mahmood, stated that “questions are being asked” surrounding how security allowed the protestor to get on stage.

“We will make sure that can never happen again,” she told Sky‘s Politics Hub programme.

Security inside the conference centre venue is run by the ACC Liverpool Group, who told The Guardian it “recognises the rights of all groups and individuals to free speech and freedom of expression,” and that the safety of all those attending events was “of the utmost importance.”

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Featured image courtesy of UK Parliament via Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

Poppy graduated from the University of Reading in June 2022, with a degree in Philosophy and Politics. She currently works as Welfare Officer at Reading Students Union, and is starting formal journalism training in September 2023 at News Associates. She has a keen interest in human rights, social action, and the intersectional feminist movement.

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