POLL: Do you think Rachel Reeves deserved to be heckled by a van driver? | Politics | News


Rachel Reeves gave as good as she got when she was shouted at by a van driver at a petrol station โ€“ but do you think she deserved to be heckled? The Chancellor was giving an interview on the forecourt of the garage in Leeds when she was interrupted by a man driving a truck with two St Georgeโ€™s flags on the roof.

The heckler shouted: โ€œNigel Farage, go on Nigel,โ€ before telling Ms Reeves: โ€œYouโ€™re ruining the country. Get Keir Starmer out.โ€ As he left the station, he said out of the window: โ€œIโ€™ve got British flags on.

โ€œAm I going to get arrested? Weโ€™ve got English flags on here, Rachel, am I going to get arrested? Look at Rachel Reeves there, with a smile on her face.โ€

But Ms Reeves fought back, shouting: โ€œI love our country. I love our country, and one of the things about our country is good manners.โ€

She said his interruption was โ€œnot very Britishโ€.

The incident has divided opinion on social media.

Reform UK leader Mr Farage, who has slapped down plenty of rude hecklers himself at campaign rallies, said: โ€œIโ€™d like to buy this man a pint. Does anyone know how I can find him?โ€

The partyโ€™s Treasury spokesman, Robert Jenrick, added: โ€œGood for him. This reaction explains why Reeves rarely leaves her bunker in Westminster.โ€

But she was supported by many, including her staunchest opponents, who thought the heckler was rude and that she was right to fight back.

Leading Brexit campaigner Lord Hannan said: โ€œFor once, I am on Rachel Reevesโ€™s side. Civility matters in politics and, if we stop policing the boundaries, things slide very quickly.

โ€œIโ€™m afraid I donโ€™t see it as remotely brave to shout at a woman while you drive away.โ€

Ms Reeves was being interviewed about Labourโ€™s decision to delay the fuel duty freeze until the end of the year, following the Iran war and soaring petrol prices.

Rates were previously planned to increase by 1p per litre on September 1, followed by 2p per litre rises on December 1 this year and March 1 next year.

The Conservatives have branded the Chancellorโ€™s latest move a U-turn after the Government did not take any additional steps to help motorists following the start of the conflict on February 28.

Tehranโ€™s restrictions on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz mean the average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts has risen by 26p, while diesel has gone up by 44p.

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