Braverman and Rees-Mogg speeches interrupted by Extinction Rebellion
By Lewis Denison, ITV News Westminster Producer
Extinction Rebellion has interrupted two speeches by senior Tories who had been speaking at the new National Conservatism Conference.
Former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg was forced to pause his speech when the stage was invaded by a protester who told the crowd he wanted to highlight a "few characteristics of fascism".
Just hours later the home secretary's keynote speech was interrupted by two protesters also from the environmentalist group.
Suella Braverman, who was about to talk about her bid to cut immigration, asked "anyone else?" after the second protester was led away.
To thunderous applause, she joked it was "audition day for the shadow cabinet."
'Anyone else?' asks Suella Braverman as protesters are led away
Mr Rees-Mogg said due to free speech, the person who interrupted his address could hold a "national loonies conference next week".
The environmentalist joined the former Cabinet minister on stage at the start of his speech on national conservatism before being bundled away by four men.
Speaking at the lectern alongside Mr Rees-Mogg, the protester said: "I would like to draw your attention to a few characteristics of fascism."
The audience cheered as the man was led away, with the former Brexit opportunities minister gesturing as though he was a musical conductor.
Applause rang around the conference hall as Mr Rees-Mogg said "our jolly good fellow has had to leave".
"But we believe in free speech," Mr Rees-Mogg added, "so he can have his national loonies conference next week and he can see how many people he gets to come along".
Extinction Rebellion claimed its protester was "violently bundled off stage by thugs".
The National Conservatism Conference describes itself as a gathering of people who "understand that the past and future of conservatism are inextricably tied to the idea of the nation, to the principle of national independence, and to the revival of the unique national traditions".
It says national conservatism is the "best path forward for a democratic world confronted by a rising China abroad and a powerful new Marxism at home".
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said the "true face of the modern Tory party" had revealed itself at the conference, adding that Conservatives "have nothing to offer the country beyond more failure, more excuses and more divisive politics".
"Rather than focus on the cost of living crisis, the state of the NHS, crime or house building, Tory MPs and cabinet ministers have instead chosen to hold a carnival of conspiracy theory and self-pity," she said.
“Until Rishi Sunak finds the backbone to stand up to the cranks in his party, he will always be in hoc to those painting a bleak, defeatist vision of our country’s future."
The three-day gathering in London will also featured speakers including Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, outspoken Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson and former Brexit negotiator Lord Frost.
Ms Braverman, whose speech was focused on her bid to cut immigration, also took aim at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Mocking his recognition of trans people as women, Ms Braverman said: "Given his definition of a woman we can't rule him out from running to be Labour's first female prime minister."
It was her second reference to trans issues in the speech. She first said to applause from the audience that it was an "unfashionable fact" that "100% of women do not have a penis".
"Conservatives must always be honest with the public. Honest about our principles and honest about our priorities," she said.
"In that way, we distinguish ourselves from the leader of the left, Sir Keir Starmer. He opposes today the things he stood for yesterday, that he'll change his mind on tomorrow and he'll campaign on next year as a man of great principle.
"Although given his definition of a woman, we can't rule him out from running to be Labour's first female prime minister."
She also said white people do not exist in "a special state of sin", in reference to the history of slavery.
"I think the left can only sell its vision for the future by making people feel terrible about our past. White people do not exist in a special state of sin or collective guilt."
She added: "Nobody should be blamed for things that happened before they were born.
"The defining feature of this country's relationship with slavery is not that we practised it, but that we led the way in abolishing it. "
Mr Rees-Mogg used his speech to attack the government over its voter ID policy and a recent "U-turn" on plans to scrap 4,000 EU-era laws.
"Rishi Sunak made a specific promise to scrap thousands of EU laws," the Tory MP for North East Somerset said.
"He's broken that promise. This is very unfortunate as one of his virtues is his trustworthiness and the surrender to the blob risks exposing the Government to ridicule."
The government had originally promised a "sunset" clause on all laws carried over from the trade bloc by the end of 2023 under its Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.
Mr Rees-Mogg said that while the government "needs to be more ambitious", it was essential to support it because "the alternative is far worse".
The loyalist of former prime minister Boris Johnson also appeared to describe the introduction of voter ID as "gerrymandering".