DUP crowd suggests 'traitors' gate' for Corbyn at Boris Johnson speech

Boris Johnson speaks at a raucous DUP event in which the crowd called for a 'noose' for Jeremy Corbyn. Picture: Sky - Credit: Sky

There were some ugly sentiments from the crowd as Boris Johnson gave a speech at a reception for the Democratic and Unionist Party (DUP) at the Tory party conference.

Boris Johnson at DUP reception mentions Jeremy Corbyn, starts a sentence saying 'we'll invite him to enter...'

Shout from the crowd: 'Traitors' gate!'

Another: 'a noose!'

Grim. pic.twitter.com/K2HUgxFKKa
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) October 1, 2019

The drinks reception enthusiastically welcomed Johnson with chants of “Boris, Boris, Boris” as he greeted DUP leader Arlene Foster to give a quick speech.

But when the prime minister mentioned Jeremy Corbyn, members of the crowd shouted: “Traitors’ gate!” and suggested a “noose” for the Labour leader.

Johnson himself merely called Corbyn a “threat to the Union” and suggested that they invite him to “step quietly into a figurative rocket and let us send him into orbit where he belongs”.

However, as with the other divisive rhetoric that has swirled around him in recent weeks, he gave no sign of objecting to the violent calls against Corbyn.

The moment was captured by Sky News’ Lewis Goodall on video and widely shared on social media.

Johnson has been accused of both using and encouraging divisive rhetoric and has been publicly unrepentant abot his use of terms like “Surrender bill” and “betrayal” to describe opposition positions.

Ugly moments have also been seen at opposition party events, with a widely shared video emerging from the Liberal Democrat conference of delegates jubilantly singing: “Tony Blair can fuck off and die”.

The public has also been reminded of the moment in 2014 when Labour shadow minister John McDonnell called for Esther McVery to be “lynched” at a comedy event.