Dramatic moment protester leaps onto the stage & throws glitter at Sir Keir Starmer at Labour conference speech

A PROTESTER covered Sir Keir Starmer in GLITTER during a dramatic stage invasion at Labour's conference this afternoon.

Yaz Ashmawi was bundled away by security after sprinting onto the platform where the party leader was poised to start his big speech.

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Police said 28-year-old man from Surrey was later arrested on suspicion of assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance.

Gasps went up in the Liverpool hall as Ashmawi ambushed Sir Keir within moments of him walking on to deliver the keynote address.

Sir Keir defiantly brushed off the stunt and pressed on without his jacket - although sparkly flecks still covered his white shirt.

With sleeves rolled up, the defiant Labour boss, who has banished the Corbyn era, said: "Protest or power, this is why we changed our party";.

And Sir Keir added: "If he thinks that bothers me, he doesn't know me."

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Ashmawi, from Surrey, is an XR activist who describes himself on his website as "a little bit of a weird one".

The heckler - wearing a T-shirt linking him to a group called People Demand Democracy - stormed the stage and screamed "true democracy is citizen led".

After yelling a few slogans, guards rushed on stage and dragged him away and out of the entire venue.

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The party's official camera feed in the hall cut away from the tussle but broadcasters captured the dramatic moment.

A Mersyside Police statement said: "We can confirm that a 28-year-old man from Surrey has been arrested following an incident at the Labour Party conference earlier this afternoon.

"The man was detained by security at the event and handed over to the police who arrested him 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."

Critics were concerned with the relatively slow response by security to tackle the protester.

Tory MP Paul Holmes said: "Regardless of party this shouldn’t have happened. Why do we never take the security of our party leaders or national politicians seriously, glitter this time but could have been much worse."

Sir Keir has previously faced disruption by protesters during speeches.

In a pre-election rally to members, Sir Keir told them to prepare for 10 years in power.

Parking his tanks on Rishi Sunak's lawn, he also promised to fire up the economy with higher growth.

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