Sir Keir Starmer speech derailed by protest as he's blasted for 'U-turns'

The activists called for a “green new deal” and demanded he reinstates the £28bn a year pledge for green policies.

Starmer asked two protesters holding a banner saying “Green New Deal now” to “let me finish”.

Speaking to the activists, he said: “I think you may have missed my last mission was on clean energy”.

The Labour leader told the pair he would “speak to you after” as they were led off stage by security.

Once they were escorted off stage, Starmer said: “I think they may have missed the fact that the last mission I launched was on clean power by 2030 which is the single most effective way to get the green future that they and many others want.”

Climate activists from the Green New Deal Rising group claimed responsibility for the disruption.

According to the group, one of the protesters was student Dieudonne Bila, who said in a statement: “I disrupted KeirStarmer’s speech because I desperately want to see a future government committed to protecting people here and all over the world from the climate crisis.

“We won’t stand by and allow private companies to continue making billions as heating becomes unaffordable, or be silent in the face of extreme heat, flooding and droughts.”

Continuing with his speech, Starmer vowed to “change Britain” to ensure that children’s prospects are not determined by their parents’ wealth.

He said: “I promise you this, whatever the obstacles to opportunity, wherever the barriers to hope, my Labour government will tear them down.

It comes after climate protesters wreaked havoc on Court 18 of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships twice yesterday.

Protesters threw orange confetti and jigsaw pieces over the turf during two separate matches at the coveted tennis tournament.

Crowds cheered as officials removed protesters from the court.