Robert Jenrick has responded “Oh boohoo” after being questioned about footage which appears to show a woman being struck and pulled by the hair while she was removed from Reform UK’s party conference.
The Reform treasury spokesperson told protesters to “get a life” and suggested people attempting to disrupt political speeches had to “take your chances”.
Footage from Nigel Farage’s keynote speech at Birmingham’s NEC appears to show members of the audience becoming physically involved as protesters were escorted from the venue.
One woman appears to be hit around the head with a metal crutch before being pulled by her hair. A hand also appears to be placed over her mouth during the confrontation.
West Midlands Police has asked the woman to contact officers and said its inquiries are continuing.
Jenrick responds ‘Oh boohoo’
Jenrick was confronted with the footage during an interview with Jon Sopel on Sky News.
When Sopel referred to the apparently violent treatment of the woman, Jenrick initially responded:
“Oh boohoo.”
He then said:
“Come off it. I’m not afraid of hecklers. I’ve had plenty of them in my time.
“But if you go… I’ve seen the video. You take your chances.”
Jenrick claimed the woman had entered the conference intending to disrupt Farage’s speech.
“She is a far-left protester, goes into a party conference, tries to wreck the leader’s speech, and cries foul if a pensioner knocks her over the head with their Zimmer frame.
“I mean, come on, get a life.”
Footage appears to show the object being swung at the woman was a metal crutch rather than a Zimmer frame.
Jenrick continued:
“This person knew what they were doing. They were trying to cause trouble, and they probably got more publicity out of it as a result of what happened.”
He did not condemn the conduct shown in the footage during that section of the interview.
Police ask woman to come forward
West Midlands Police has appealed for the woman involved to contact officers.
The force is also seeking information from anyone who witnessed the incident or has relevant footage. The police reference is log number 924 of September 5.
No official finding has been made about precisely what happened or who was responsible.
Videos shared online appear to show people pulling the woman’s hair and attempting to strike her while security guards moved her towards the exit.
The man seen swinging the crutch was reportedly not a member of the conference security team.
Climate Resistance, which claimed responsibility for the protest, said it was “horrified” by the treatment of demonstrators inside the venue. The group said the woman was considering whether to speak to police.
Farage interrupted four times
Farage’s keynote speech was interrupted on four occasions as Reform supporters chanted “out, out, out” at the demonstrators.
The Reform leader laughed following the first disruption and told the audience:
“We’ve got a screamer. Oh dear.”
He later said:
“That poor young girl, she looked like she was going to do herself an injury.”
Farage also responded to the interruptions by chanting “boring” as protesters were removed.
Speaking the following day, he accused critics of taking a one-sided view of events and referred to previous incidents in which he had been hit with milkshakes or placards.
Farage argued that people had paid to attend the conference and were entitled to listen without repeated interruptions.
Lee Anderson jokes about collecting money for a new walking stick
Reform chairman Lee Anderson also referred to the confrontation during his conference speech.
Anderson said he did not condone violence before joking that delegates could contribute towards a replacement walking stick for the man shown in the footage.
“I did see an old chap, a pensioner, somewhere with a walking stick,” Anderson said.
“Look, I don’t condone any of that type of behaviour, but if anyone wants to have a quick whip round later we are collecting for a new walking stick.”
The remark was met with laughter from sections of the audience.
Nadine Dorries says protesters should not expect ‘gentle treatment’
Former Conservative culture secretary Nadine Dorries, who has joined Reform, was asked whether people accused of assaulting protesters should face consequences.
She said nobody should be punched, but argued that those entering a political conference to disrupt its principal speech should not expect to be treated gently.
Dorries described the protesters’ decision to interrupt Farage as “shocking” and said they should not have attempted to derail the speech.
Reform home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf gave a more direct response when questioned by the Mirror.
He said he condemned people punching others.
Labour and Liberal Democrats attack Jenrick’s response
Jenrick’s comments provoked criticism from his political opponents.
A Labour source accused him of supporting free speech only when it was expressed in a way he approved of.
Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson contrasted Reform’s language about protecting women and girls with Jenrick’s dismissive response to the footage.
The Liberal Democrats subsequently shared the video alongside a warning against allowing what they described as Trump-style politics to take hold in Britain.
The criticism is particularly awkward for Reform after journalists and undercover reporters were removed from the same conference.
Byline Times journalist Chris Atkins was thrown out after questioning Farage about the party’s funding controversy, while a number of publications said their reporters had been refused accreditation.
Reform has argued that some journalists are political activists rather than legitimate members of the press.
Reform faces questions over conference security
The confrontation has created further questions for Reform about how protesters were handled inside its largest annual event.
Security staff are entitled to remove people who disrupt a private political conference. However, the footage appears to show audience members becoming physically involved before or during that removal.
The continuing police inquiries will determine whether further action is required.
Jenrick showed no sign of distancing himself from the response of the crowd when questioned by Sopel.
His answer was that protesters entering a Reform conference to disrupt Farage should understand the risk they were taking.
One response to “Robert Jenrick says ‘Oh boohoo’ after woman appears to be struck and dragged by hair at Reform conference”
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This is what democracy looks like u der a reform government speak out and you will be beaten up . A young women who covered farage with a milk shake was given a 6 month prison sentence suspended for 12 months if the reform supporters dont get prosecuted its farages 2 tier policing.
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