Steve Bray, the activist known as 'Stop Brexit Man,' has claimed he was doing Sir Keir Starmer a favour by drowning out his resignation speech with Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy.' The incident occurred outside Downing Street, where journalists and politicians reacted with horror as the Prime Minister's historic moment was disrupted by the pro-European anthem blaring from Bray's speakers.
Bray's Explanation
Bray posted on X to clarify his actions: 'In case anyone has the wrong idea – Ode to Joy was played out of respect at background volume. If you were at Downing Street there was a man with megaphone slagging off Labour and Keir constant. It could be heard so there you go. Not disrespectful in my opinion, but you are entitled to your opinion. It was Ode to Joy or the guy with megaphone shouting all the way through.'
Bray claimed that Sir Keir Starmer had once listed Ode to Joy as one of his favourite pieces of music, framing the interruption as a tribute rather than a disruption.
Political Reactions
The stunt drew widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum. One Labour MP told The Spectator: 'Steve Bray should be sent to Guantanamo or a mental asylum.' Lord David Wolfson, Shadow Attorney General, posted on X: 'The PM's resignation is a historic event. So why is Steve Bray continually allowed to turn Parliament Square into his own one-man soundtrack? A vibrant public square is one thing. Blaring music over a major constitutional moment is attention-seeking dressed up as activism.'
Lewis Goodall, former Newsnight journalist, called Bray a 'yob,' writing: 'Steve Bray blasting Ode to Joy, ruining nationally historic moments like this for us and posterity, is a complete disgrace. A yob.' Andrew Neil described him as a 'buffoon,' telling Times Radio: 'The fact that we allow this to happen shows, that at times, we are not a serious country.'
Defenders and Critics
Political analyst Owen Jones offered a nuanced view: 'Steve Bray is a massive d***head. He also has a legal right to be a massive d***head. This country is increasingly authoritarian as it is. Anyone calling for even more crackdowns is a much bigger threat than the aforementioned massive d***head.'
Camilla Tomney posted on X: 'I did speak to Bray about it afterwards and he insisted it was a tribute because Starmer once listed it as his favourite piece of music. I don't remember lefties objecting when he drowned out Brexiteers and righties, mind.'
Previous Disruptions
This is not the first time Bray has disrupted a Prime Minister's big moment. Previously, he drowned out a wet Rishi Sunak announcing an election with Tony Blair's 1997 election soundtrack, 'Things Can Only Get Better' by D:Ream. Bray said he blasted the track because it was a 'top trolling song for the Conservatives.' The song's lyrics include: 'So teach me now that things can only get better / Only get, they only get, take it on from here / You know, I know that things can only get better.' The sound only ended when Bray's amplifiers got soaked.
