Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been backed by Conservative politicians after she sternly rebuked a foul-mouthed heckler during a broadcast interview at a Leeds petrol station. The man, who appeared to be a Reform UK supporter, shouted abuse from his van as Reeves announced a freeze on fuel duty.
As the heckler drove off with St George's flags flying from his van, he yelled: 'Get Keir Starmer fucking out' and 'Nigel Farage, come on Nigel'. Reeves responded: 'I love our country, and one of the things about our country is good manners. Not very British.' She later joked that he may not have heard about the fuel duty freeze.
Shadow chancellor Mel Stride defended Reeves, telling Sky News: 'On the point of good manners, she is right... our discourse around politics should be civil and polite.' Tory peer Daniel Hannan also sided with Reeves, saying: 'Civility matters in politics and if we stop policing the boundaries, things slide very quickly.'
However, Reform UK figures took a different view. Nigel Farage posted on X: 'I'd like to buy this man a pint. Does anyone know how I can find him?' Robert Jenrick, Reform's economics spokesperson, said: 'He sounds British to me, Rachel! Good for him.' Zia Yusuf, home affairs spokesperson, even offered the man a future peerage in a Reform government.
