London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Nov 14, 2025

Charity worker who heckled PM says ‘Boris thinks we are stupid’

An impassioned charity worker who heckled Boris Johnson during a speech has been left ‘furious’ since the PM decided to suspend Parliament.

Ben Gilchrist, 41, made headlines on Friday afternoon when he shouted ‘get back to Parliament’ at the prime minister, before security dragged him out of the Rotherham, South Yorkshire, venue.

Video footage shows Ben being wrestled out of the Convention of the North conference after shouting: ‘Why are you not with them [MPs] in Parliament, sorting out the mess you’ve created? Why don’t you sort it out Boris?’ Ben, who works for a Manchester-based charity, told Metro.co.uk he snapped when Mr Johnson praised the ‘transformative potential’ of local MPs and leaders.

The charity worker said: ‘The moment that triggered me was when he said how much he valued local representatives and people. ‘That’s the moment I lost my patience and challenged him – telling him to go back to Parliament. ‘I thought, this is ludicrous. He must think we are as stupid as he is entitled. ‘It was a spur of the moment thing. I thought I’ve got to do something.’

Ben, who is based in Old Trafford, said he was ‘absolutely outraged’ over the PM’s decision to suspend Parliament until October 14. Many critics have argued it was done in a bid to force through a no-deal Brexit, leaving little more than two weeks until the October 31 deadline.

After hearing the news, ‘non-violent activist’ Ben was one of thousands to take to the streets and protest against the controversial move. ‘I wasn’t doing it as a pro or anti-Brexit protest, it’s more about my passion for democracy – that’s what I object to,’ he added.

His comments come after Scottish judges ruled Mr Johnson’s proroguing of Parliament was unlawful, in a case which will be heard at the Supreme Court next week. Ben said it’s ‘appalling Boris is ignoring the law’ and was even more enraged the PM tried to make a joke out of the charity worker’s concerns, adding ‘it’s not funny’.

He said when he showed up to the conference and saw cameras, he knew there was a possibility the prime minister would be there and began to ‘psych’ himself up to say something.

‘I thought if I’m ever in a room where a minister is present, I need to be prepared to challenge them,’ he added. ‘I had been thinking about it ever since the proroguing of Parliament – I have been so furious.’

Ben, who has worked in the voluntary sector for most of his life, said he wanted to stand up for charity workers who are often overlooked and forgotten.

‘At events like this they just don’t think or remember there are all these voluntary groups doing amazing things,’ he continued. Ben said he was disappointed more people didn’t challenge the PM on his comments.

He added: ‘I hope there will be many many more hecklers to come.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Upholds Firm Rules on Stablecoins to Shield Financial System
Brussels Divided as UK-EU Reset Stalls Over Budget Access
Prince Harry’s Remembrance Day Essay Expresses Strong Regret at Leaving Britain
UK Unemployment Hits 5% as Wage Growth Slows, Paving Way for Bank of England Rate Cut
Starmer Warns of Resurgent Racism in UK Politics as He Vows Child-Poverty Reforms
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 4.7% as Supermarkets Launch Pre-Christmas Promotions
UK Government Backs the BBC amid Editing Scandal and Trump Threat of Legal Action
UK Assessment Mis-Estimated Fallout From Palestine Action Ban, Records Reveal
UK Halts Intelligence Sharing with US Amid Lethal Boat-Strike Concerns
King Charles III Leads Britain in Remembrance Sunday Tribute to War Dead
UK Retail Sales Growth Slows as Households Hold Back Ahead of Black Friday and Budget
Shell Pulls Out of Two UK Floating Wind Projects Amid Renewables Retreat
Viagogo Hit With £15 Million Tax Bill After HMRC Transfer-Pricing Inquiry
Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack Pinches UK GDP, Bank of England Says
UK and Germany Sound Alarm on Russian-Satellite Threat to Critical Infrastructure
Former Prince Andrew Faces U.S. Congressional Request for Testimony Amid Brexit of Royal Title
BBC Director-General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness Resign Amid Editing Controversy
Tom Cruise Arrives by Helicopter at UK Scientology Fundraiser Amid Local Protests
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Face Fresh UK Probes Amid Royal Fallout
Mothers Link Teen Suicides to AI Chatbots in Growing Legal Battle
UK Government to Mirror Denmark’s Tough Immigration Framework in Major Policy Shift
UK Government Turns to Denmark-Style Immigration Reforms to Overhaul Border Rules
UK Chancellor Warned Against Cutting Insulation Funding as Budget Looms
UK Tenant Complaints Hit Record Levels as Rental Sector Faces Mounting Pressure
Apple to Pay Google About One Billion Dollars Annually for Gemini AI to Power Next-Generation Siri
UK Signals Major Shift as Nuclear Arms Race Looms
BBC’s « Celebrity Traitors UK » Finale Breaks Records with 11.1 Million Viewers
UK Spy Case Collapse Highlights Implications for UK-Taiwan Strategic Alignment
On the Road to the Oscars? Meghan Markle to Star in a New Film
A Vote Worth a Trillion Dollars: Elon Musk’s Defining Day
AI Researchers Claim Human-Level General Intelligence Is Already Here
President Donald Trump Challenges Nigeria with Military Options Over Alleged Christian Killings
Nancy Pelosi Finally Announces She Will Not Seek Re-Election, Signalling End of Long Congressional Career
UK Pre-Budget Blues and Rate-Cut Concerns Pile Pressure on Pound
ITV Warns of Nine-Per-Cent Drop in Q4 Advertising Revenue Amid Budget Uncertainty
National Grid Posts Slightly Stronger-Than-Expected Half-Year Profit as Regulatory Investments Drive Growth
UK Business Lobby Urges Reeves to Break Tax Pledges and Build Fiscal Headroom
UK to Launch Consultation on Stablecoin Regulation on November 10
UK Savers Rush to Withdraw Pension Cash Ahead of Budget Amid Tax-Change Fears
Massive Spoilers Emerge from MAFS UK 2025: Couple Swaps, Dating App Leaks and Reunion Bombshells
Kurdish-led Crime Network Operates UK Mini-Marts to Exploit Migrants and Sell Illicit Goods
UK Income Tax Hike Could Trigger £1 Billion Cut to Scotland’s Budget, Warns Finance Secretary
Tommy Robinson Acquitted of Terror-related Charge After Phone PIN Dispute
Boris Johnson Condemns Western Support for Hamas at Jewish Community Conference
HII Welcomes UK’s Westley Group to Strengthen AUKUS Submarine Supply Chain
Tragedy in Serbia: Coach Mladen Žižović Collapses During Match and Dies at 44
Diplo Says He Dated Katy Perry — and Justin Trudeau
Dick Cheney, Former U.S. Vice President, Dies at 84
Trump Calls Title Removal of Andrew ‘Tragic Situation’ Amid Royal Fallout
UK Bonds Rally as Chancellor Reeves Briefs Markets Ahead of November Budget
×