Jump directly to the content
BREXIT STAGE LEFT

‘Proud Brexiteer’ Rishi Sunak hits back after Remoaners stage protest at BBC’s Last Night Of The Proms

RISHI Sunak today bit back at Remoaners after they hijacked the Last Night Of The Proms with a sea of EU flags. 

The PM’s spokesman banged the drum for Brexit by reeling off a list of achievements since the Leave vote. 

Dozens of EU flags were waved during the performance of Rule Britannia
2
Dozens of EU flags were waved during the performance of Rule Britannia
Pro-EU activists hand out EU flags as concert-goers arrive at the Royal Albert Hall
2
Pro-EU activists hand out EU flags as concert-goers arrive at the Royal Albert HallCredit: AFP

He suggested Mr Sunak was baffled by dozens of people in the audience waving the EU’s blue and gold standard at last week’s Royal Albert Hall performance.

Downing Street said: “The PM is a proud Brexiteer. He was flying the flag for the UK in India on issues including a free trade deal.

“From BMW, to TATA, to CPTPP (trade agreement), we are seeing the union jack’s prominence around the world, and that’s a direct prominence of Brexit.”

Other prominent Brexiteers also piled in and criticised the BBC for airing the political statement.

READ MORE ON POLITICS

Nile Gardiner, a former aide to Margaret Thatcher, said: “Ironic to see some of the audience at The Last Night of the Proms waving EU flags while singing Rule Britannia.

“Rule Britannia represents freedom, sovereignty and self-determination, all absent in the EU. Thank God for Brexit.”

Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor added: “BBC must investigate how so many EU flags were waved & on display at The Last Night of the Proms.”

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, who was in the audience, said: "I was waving the British flag, I was sitting next to the Deputy Prime Minister who brought his own flag. So I think we were both displaying a huge amount of British patriotism.”

The stunt was organised by Brussels-loving campaign group Thank EU For The Music.

In an open letter to BBC boss Tim Davie they said: “Tens of thousands of music lovers have taken our free European flags into the Royal Albert Hall for each Last Night of the Proms in solidarity with musicians who feel (like countless others) the destructive impact of Britain’s recent isolation from Europe.”

Topics