Keir Starmer's security detail faces major questions after protester was able to storm stage and pour glitter on Labour leader - as attendees at conference say bags 'were barely searched'

Labour is facing questions over security at its conference after a protester linked to environmental groups stormed the stage to pour glitter on Sir Keir Starmer - amid claims of lax protective measures at the event.

Yaz Ashmawi, 28, rushed the stage before Sir Keir gave his big pitch to be Britain's next prime minister, yelling that 'democracy is in crisis' as he poured the sparkly material over the former public prosecutor's head unchallenged,

Questions have been raised as to why Mr Ashmawi was able to reach the stage and put his arms around the opposition leader for several seconds before bodyguards tackled him to the ground.

One conference attendee, Labour youth organiser Kyle Sewell, tweeted that his bag was 'barely searched,' adding: 'Bag searches are the worst I've ever seen...It's a security risk for everyone in the hall.'

MPs have also privately expressed concerns to MailOnline about the suitability of the Liverpool conference's safeguarding measures. 

Following Ashmawi's publicity stunt, one member of parliament said: 'A lot of people are really worried about the security.

'He could have had a knife or anything. They are going to need the airport security arches from now on.

'You can't have this happening. People have been able to just walk in without any real searches.'

Evie Aspinall, president of the British Foreign Policy Group think tank, is attending the conference - and echoed security concerns shared by others.

She tweeted: 'Security for Labour conference has been utterly terrible. The least officious bag searches I’ve ever seen. So unsuprised this (the glitter incident) happened.' 

Wildlife campaigner Dominic Dyer, who is also at the event, added: 'No airport security scanners at Labour conference just cursory check on bags. 

'Keir Stamer was lucky today, that man could have had a knife. We need better security for politicians not least looking at events in Middle East at moment.'

Ashmawi, a one-time Extinction Rebellion spokesperson who describes himself as 'a bit of a weird one' , bounded onto the stage and gripped Sir Keir's hand as he yelled: 'True democracy is citizen-led. Politics needs an update.'

The Labour leader looked bemused and tried to keep Ashmawi at arm's length until security tackled the protester and led him off stage. 

Sir Keir then brushed off the glitter, and told a cheering conference: 'If he thinks that bothers me he doesn't know me.' 

Merseyside Police confirmed a 28-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance.

Labour has seemingly downplayed the incident, with a spokesperson telling BBC News that Sir Keir leader was 'fine' and 'completely unfazed by what happened'.

The spokesperson added: 'It shows his strength of character that he got on and delivered the speech of his life.'

MailOnline has contacted the party for further comment. But the extraordinary incident will raise huge concerns about the protection for the Opposition leader. 

It is the second time during this year's event that an interloper managed to get to the podium. 

People Demand Democracy, a political splinter group with links to XR and Just Stop Oil, claimed responsibility for the incident, saying they are a 'new group calling for an upgrade to the UK political system using civil disobedience'.

JSO also shared footage of the stage-invasion linking it to their demand that Sir Keir 'commits to revoking the oil and gas licenses granted by this zombie Tory government'.

After being showered in glitter, Sir Keir was cheered as he took off his jacket and continued after the man was removed saying:' He also joked that he was glad it hadn't happened to his wife Victoria because her dress was 'beautiful'.

The incident raises questions about the Labour leader's personal protection and security at the conference on Merseyside. Those at the event had already criticised how search points at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool has no security arches with rudimentary bag searches instead.

They appear to be demanding that the first-past-the-post system used at general elections to be abandoned, declaring on their new website: 'The UK needs a proportional voting so every vote counts and a permanent Citizens' Assembly made up of people from all walks of life to discuss major long term issues without party political pressures'. 

It came after one of JSO's main funders, Dale Vince, distanced himself from the group to back Labour instead. 

People Demand Democracy, whose Twitter account had just ten followers this morning, wrote to Sir Keir on September 4 warning they would direct action against him if they ignored them.

They demanded: 'We urge you, the leader of the Labour Party, to announce that you will hold new national elections with a proportional voting system and set up a House of Citizens within six months of getting into office. 

'We encourage you to embrace this upgrade to our democracy: proportional voting so every vote counts and a permanent Citizens' Assembly made up of people from all walks of life to discuss major long term issues without party political pressures.

'If you do not do so by 30th September, People Demand Democracy will take proportionate action to get our message across to you and the Labour Party leadership. We are left with no other choice but to take a stand for what's right and take back our power as citizens'.

And less than two weeks after the deadline, a member of the group stormed the stage. 

Unlike the Tory gathering Labour conference has delegates speaking during debates in the main hall, and the numbers in the audience are far higher. 

Sir Keir used the speech to claim the 'tide is turning' for Labour today as he gives potentially his last conference speech before an election.

Sir Keir insisted he is the leader to 'heal' the country - but warned it will require a 'decade of national renewal'. Sir Keir said he had turned Labour into  a 'party of service', 'renewed' after the Corbyn era.

Sir Keir praised the spirit of the British people despite the 'Tory project to kick the hope out of this country'.

Promising to reshape the country with 1.5 million homes including new towns, modernised infrastructure and support for green industries, Sir Keir said 'the fire of change still burns in Britain' and it 'lives on in Labour'.

With a general election next year and Labour enjoying double-digit poll leads, Sir Keir warned that the 'dangerous' Tories would 'scorch the earth just to get at us'.

And if he did win the keys to No 10, the scale of the challenge would be immense compared with his predecessors.

'If you think our job in 1997 was to rebuild a crumbling public realm, that in 1964 it was to modernise an economy left behind by the pace of technology, in 1945 to build a new Britain out of the trauma of collective sacrifice, then in 2024 it will have to be all three.'

Sir Keir put reforming the 'restrictive planning system' at the core of his plan to secure economic growth.

The system was 'a blockage that stops this country building roads, grid connections, laboratories, trainlines, warehouses, windfarms, power stations' and 'an obstacle to the aspirations of millions'.

The plan to 'get Britain building again' would 'fight the blockers who hold a veto over British aspiration'.

The 1.5 million homes promised by would involve new development corporations with powers to cut through red tape and the creation of the 'next generation of Labour new towns'.

He insisted his plans would not mean 'tearing up the green belt' but building could take place in areas where that protection was 'clearly ridiculous'.