Sir Keir Starmer glitter protester admits he ‘crossed the line’ and apologises
A protester who threw glitter over Sir Keir Starmer and grabbed him ahead of his speech at the Labour Party conference has admitted he “crossed the line” and apologised.
Yaz Ashmawi said it was “horrible” he made the Labour leader feel in danger as he prepared to give his keynote address in Liverpool on Tuesday.
The storming of the stage by the activist prompted boos and looks of concern from members of the audience.
The incident reignited questions about the safety of politicians, particularly such a high-profile one who could be the next prime minister.
Speaking to the Politics Uncensored podcast on Fubar Radio, Mr Ashmawi said: “The thought that, even for a moment, he felt that he was in danger is horrible to think about.
“I think it is absolutely fine to pour glitter on someone and to go onto the stage. I just think it is physical contact that crossed the line there.”
He added: “The thing is, I put my hand on his arm and touched him and I think… politicians, they get a lot of death threats and they have a need to feel safe and I compromised that in that moment by touching him.”
“If Mr Starmer felt that he was threatened… I take responsibility for that, I want to take full responsibility for my actions.”
Asked whether he would like to apologise to the opposition leader, he said: “Yes, absolutely. I’m sorry for doing that.”
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Starmer protester taken into police van
Mr Ashmawi belongs to a group called People Demand Democracy, which is calling for reform of the electoral system.
Merseyside Police confirmed it arrested a 28-year-old man from Surrey on suspicion of assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance following the stunt.
On Thursday, the force said the man – who Mr Ashmawi has confirmed is him – has been bailed pending further inquiries.
Following the protest, Sir Keir removed his glitter-covered jacket and said: “If he thinks that bothers me, he doesn’t know me.”
The party leader subsequently said he was determined not to let an “idiot” get in the way of him delivering his speech.
He also told Sky News the incident “could have been a lot worse”.
Labour went on to advertise T-shirts for sale with the slogan: “Sparkle with Starmer.”
A growing rift has emerged in Washington, D.C., between the cryptocurrency industry and labor unions as lawmakers debate whether to ease rules allowing cryptocurrencies in 401(k) retirement accounts.
The dispute centers on proposed market structure legislation that would allow retirement accounts to gain exposure to crypto, a move labor groups say could expose workers to speculative risk. In a letter sent on Wednesday to the US Senate Banking Committee, the American Federation of Teachers argued that cryptocurrencies are too volatile for pension and retirement savings, warning that workers could face significant losses.
The letter drew immediate pushback from crypto investors and industry figures. “The American Federation of Teachers has somehow developed the most logically incoherent, least educated take one could possibly author on the matter of crypto market structure regulation,” a crypto investor said on X.
In response to the letter, Castle Island Ventures partner Sean Judge said the bill would improve oversight and reduce systemic risk, while enabling pension funds to access an asset class that has delivered strong long-term returns.
Consensys attorney Bill Hughes said the AFT’s opposition to the crypto market structure bill was politically motivated, accusing the group of acting as an extension of Democratic lawmakers.
Related: Atkins says SEC has ‘enough authority’ to drive crypto rules forward in 2026
Opposition to crypto in retirement and pension funds mounts
Proponents of allowing crypto in retirement portfolios, on the other hand, argue that it democratizes finance, while trade unions have voiced strong opposition to relaxing current regulations, claiming that crypto is too risky for traditional retirement plans.
“Unregulated, risky currencies and investments are not where we should put pensions and retirement savings. The wild, wild west is not what we need, whether it’s crypto, AI, or social media,” AFT president Randi Weingarten said on Thursday.
The AFT represents 1.8 million teachers and educational professionals in the US and is one of the largest teachers’ unions in the country.
According to Better Markets, a nonprofit and nonpartisan advocacy organization, cryptocurrencies are too volatile for traditional retirement portfolios, and their high volatility can create time-horizon mismatches for pension investors seeking a predictable, low-volatility retirement plan.
In October, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) also wrote to Congress opposing provisions within the crypto market structure regulatory bill.
The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of trade unions in the US, wrote that cryptocurrencies are volatile and pose a systemic risk to pension funds and the broader financial system.
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