Serial prankster who disrupted May’s speech had permission to attend

A serial prankster arrested after handing Theresa May a P45 unemployment notice was accredited to attend the Tory conference, police said.

Comic Lee Nelson, real name Simon Brodkin, joked that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had asked him to perform the stunt during the Prime Minister’s keynote speech.

The prank raised security questions, with a senior Tory suggesting the perpetrator could have been a terrorist.

Guidance on the Tory conference website said all attendees must have approval from the party and are accredited by Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

GMP Chief Superintendent John O’hare said: “The man had legitimate accreditation which granted him access to the conference site.

“In light of this we will be reviewing the accreditation process with the Conservative Party.” 0 Comedian Simon Brodkin was removed by staff

People entering the conference had to go through “airport-style” searches, he added.

Amid frantic scenes, Nelson was bundled out of the conference hall and through the exhibition stands by security staff at the Manchester Central venue.

He told reporters: “Boris told me to do it. He’s left me in the lurch.”

Nelson was later seen being led away in handcuffs and placed in the back of a police van.

Around the same time, a tweet from his official Twitter account appeared, saying: “Hi @Borisjohnson, I gave Theresa her P45 just like you asked.”

The P45 he handed to the Prime Minister gave the “Reason for termination” as: “Neither strong or stable. We’re a bit worried about Jezza.”

A Downing Street source said: “We expect that there will be a thorough investigation into what happened.”

Senior Conservative MP George Freeman, head of the Prime Minister’s policy board, said of the prankster’s interruption: “There should be some very serious questions, that could have been a terrorist.”

Nelson made a name for himself with a stunt at a press conference where he showered scandal-hit then Fifa president Sepp Blatter with money.

He has also targeted Sir Philip Green, the former owner of collapsed retailer BHS, by hanging a sign reading “BHS Destroyer” on the billionaire’s superyacht.