Kinnock whines: Brexit’s the end of Britain
IT WAS late and he had downed a few beers – so when Lord Kinnock was asked about the UK leaving his beloved EU, he didn’t mince his words.
In an altercation with a cameraman, he declared Brexit was the ‘end of Britain’.
And when his son Stephen intervened, the 74-year-old Labour peer threw his arm off and told him to ‘leave’ it.
The incident happened on Monday as the former Labour leader and Mr Kinnock, the 46-year- old MP for Aberavon, were walking to Leicester Square Underground station after a Welsh Labour Party dinner.
That day, Mr Kinnock had quit as an aide to then-Labour business spokesman Angela Eagle, as part of the walkout of Jeremy Corbyn’s team. Father and son were spotted by Mark Guard, who makes films about the homeless and crime.
Mr Guard, 51, said: ‘It was 10.09pm. I didn’t realise at first it was Kinnock.
‘I thought, right, I’m going to ask him a question. I’m a documentary-maker. I grew up on a council estate and I’ve always hated the hypocrisy of Labour socialists making lots of money, as the Kinnocks have.’
Lord Kinnock of Bedwellty – a former EU transport commissioner – and his wife, ex-MEP Glenys, were estimated to have made more than £10 million in pay, allowances and pensions from the EU. Mr Guard asked: ‘Mr Kinnock, how do you feel now your gravy train is just about to end?’
Lord Kinnock advanced on the camera, ranting: ‘I’ve never had one, son. Never had one. Didn’t have one. I got the same rate as everybody else, I paid tax on everything.’
Mr Guard claimed the peer was ‘stinking of drink’ and pushed the camera at him.
Mr Kinnock steps in, saying: ‘Put it down, put that down,’ as the camera swings away. Mr Guard claims to have been treated roughly by the MP, who denies this.
Lord Kinnock can be heard saying: ‘Move on, leave him there Steve, leave him there, leave him there.’ As Mr Kinnock walks into the Tube station, Mr Guard says: ‘That’s assault, mate.’ Lord Kinnock laughs and replies: ‘You think that’s assault?’
Mr Guard responds: ‘Come on, you’ve done very well out of the European Union – it’s about to end.’ Waving his arms, Lord Kinnock then walks into the station, shouting: ‘So is Britain! So is Britain!’
Mr Guard, of North London, claims police officers nearby asked him about the incident but he told them he ‘was not petty enough to press charges’. The Metropolitan Police said it was unable to find any written record of the incident.
Mr Kinnock – married to the former Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt – said he had thought his father was being attacked, adding: ‘I’ve acted in self- defence, or to defend my father from what I thought was a threatening situation.’
The peer said his son had acted in a restrained way, adding: ‘We had been to a Labour dinner and I had three half-pints of lager. He hardly drinks, so would not have been under the influence of alcohol.’
Comment – Page 16