GATECRASHER’S ANTI-TORY RANT
AN ANTI-BREXIT campaigner gatecrashed a dinner being held at the Conservative Party conference in Powys. Steve Bray shouted abuse towards members and about the Prime Minister before being escorted out.
Mr Bray, best known for disrupting broadcasters during, and since, the referendum while they broadcast from Westminster, can be seen on video entering Maesmawr Hall in Newtown where a members dinner was taking place without any realising who he was.
Holding a microphone and clutching a Tesco bag containing his fancy dress hat, he shouts: “Welcome to Powys,” which gets cheers, as does his next line. “Big up for Boris, go Boris, definitely go. Go Boris.”
“Our Prime Minister Boris Johnson, what do we say for Boris?” to which a guest seems to reply. “Go Boris, come on Tories, we love Boris. Say ‘Go Boris’.”
Tom James, director of the Welsh Conservatives, is then seen gesturing to have him removed and he is approached.
He removes his hat from the bag, and among those approaching him is Welsh group leader Andrew RT Davies.
“B******s to Boris. You Tory lying cheating toerags. You Tory [inaudible]. B******s, b******s to the Tories. You liars, you cheats, you charlatans,” he shouts.
A song plays in the background to the tune of Bye Bye Baby by the Bay City Rollers, saying “Bye Bye Boris”.
A video, being captured by someone supporting Mr Bray, who is from Port Talbot, is disrupted but shows Mr Bray being removed, and Andrew Davies being one of those assisting.
Mr James is seen saying “out”. One dinner guest seems to forcefully shout back at Mr Bray before there is applause from the room when he leaves.
ITV Wales political editor Adrian Masters tweeted that he saw Mr Bray leave with police officers waiting for them outside.
He wrote: “My ITV Wales colleagues and I are eating in the bar of the same hotel being used for the Welsh Conservative conference dinner disrupted by Steve Bray. He and three others have just left here with police officers waiting for them outside.”
The conference, held with high security on Friday due to the Prime Minister’s visit, continued yesterday with health minister Sajid Javid attending. A second dinner took place yesterday evening with Chancellor Rishi Sunak in attendance.
In his tweet Mr Bray alleged he was “robbed and assaulted”.
Another tweet says his wireless microphone was “stolen”.
The Welsh Conservatives have been contacted for comment.