UK Chancellor Reeves rebukes Reform UK heckler: ‘Good manners matter’

Rachel Reeves, the UK chancellor, issued a sharp rebuke to a foul-mouthed heckler who shouted at her from his van while she conducted a broadcast interview at a petrol station in Leeds on Friday.

The incident drew unexpected support for Reeves from Conservative politicians, who defended her response, while Reform UK figures praised the heckler.

Reeves was answering questions from the media after announcing she would scrap a planned fuel duty rise when a man, who appeared to be a Reform UK supporter, interrupted her.

As he walked into the station to pay, he shouted: “Get Keir Starmer fucking out.” When he left in his van, he continued yelling: “Get Labour out. Get Keir Starmer out. Nigel Farage, Come on, Nigel.”

Driving off in his van with St George’s flags flying, he added: “Am I gonna get arrested? We’ve got English flags on here, Rachel. Are we going to be arrested? You’re ruining the country. Get Keir Starmer out. Look England flags. Yous are useless. Labour party is useless.”

Reeves responded: “I love our country, and one of the things about our country is good manners. Not very British.” She then joked that the heckler appeared not to have heard her announcement about freezing fuel duty.

Shadow chancellor Mel Stride defended Reeves’s comeback, telling Sky’s Sophy Ridge: “On the point of good manners, she is right … our discourse around politics should be civil and polite and that’s part of being British and that’s something we should fight for.”

Stride added, however, that some people were “right” to feel “disappointed by decisions this government has taken” and said Reeves had made a “mess” of the economy.

Tory peer Daniel Hannan said: “I sense that this is out of temper with the times but, for once, I am on Rachel Reeves’s side. Civility matters in politics and if we stop policing the boundaries, things slide very quickly. I’m afraid I don’t see it as remotely brave to shout at a woman while you drive away.”

Reform UK politicians did not share this view. Nigel Farage seemed to enjoy the foul-mouthed rant and posted on X: “I’d like to buy this man a pint. Does anyone know how I can find him?”

Robert Jenrick, Reform’s spokesperson for economics, agreed, saying: “He sounds British to me, Rachel! Good for him. This reaction explains why Reeves rarely leaves her bunker in Westminster.”

Zia Yusuf, Reform’s home affairs spokesperson, also offered the heckler a peerage, saying: “Could this legendary gentleman please get in touch. A future Reform government would like to give him a peerage for this outstanding public service. He can do similar to all the crooks currently sitting in the House of Lords!”