Heckler interrupts Blair speech

Last updated at 15:01 26 July 2006


Prime Minister Tony Blair's speech on public health was interrupted by a protest today.

As a heckler struggled to make himself heard at the Albert Hall in Nottingham, the Prime Minister pressed on with his address.

Mr Blair said, as a man could be heard shouting from the back of the hall: "One of the great things about this country is it is a democracy and you are entitled to express your view but I'm also entitled to make my speech."

The male protester had removed his shirt to reveal an anti-Iraq war slogan painted on his chest and "Impeach Tony Blair" on his back.

"We were expecting you, incidentally," the Prime Minister said as the young man was escorted away.

Away from the conference centre, the protester who was ejected justified the stand he made.

Kirk Jackson, from Nottingham, said: "I think the view I was putting across represents the view of many people in this country. I could have kept quiet, asked a question and got a prepared response from the Prime Minister but I wanted to take a bigger stand."

The 34-year-old self-styled anarchist, who does not belong to a particular protest group, said he applied to attend the lecture online through a Government website and passed the necessary security checks.

He said: "I heard that he (Tony Blair) was coming to Nottingham and I thought I wanted to make my point.

"I've been on a number of protests but have never been arrested and I have no criminal record, which means there was no problem with me getting to the lecture.

"Ever since the Iraq war I have just been fumingly cross about the whole thing.

"The fact he was so close to George Bush and agreed on George Bush's plan to invade Iraq, even though nobody wanted it - I couldn't believe he got away with it and is still in power.

"These lectures may be about domestic policy but he still shouldn't be allowed to forget what he did and what he is still doing."

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