Robert Jenrick’s sarcastic “Boo hoo!” in response to two women protesters being attacked by Reform’s conference audience makes him a shoo-in for Statesman of the Week

By now, you’ll be aware that two climate protesters were physically assaulted on camera by attendees at the Reform UK conference, while security officers were already manhandling the two women from the arena.

The Mirror’s Mikey Smith posted a couple of angles of one particularly vicious delegate.

You don't really get the full picture of the walking stick incident until you watch both angles at the same time… (Left via @climate_resist, right via Franceinfo on TikTok)

First full speed, then slo-mo and annotated. pic.twitter.com/3VkDmzfDt2

— Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) September 5, 2026

Nigel Farage took time out of his busy schedule of smashing oysters and champagne while not listening to the seemingly illegal stuff going on around him to laugh at the violence that had caught his attention.

What is happening here pic.twitter.com/IM9kw4o3Qn

— Jeremy Vine | Here, on Tiktok, Insta & Facebook (@theJeremyVine) September 5, 2026

Party Chairman Lee Anderson also thought it was a laughing matter.

Lee Anderson mocked the woman who was assaulted with a walking stick at Reform’s conference.

He said: “If anybody wants to have a quick whip-round later, we’re collecting for a new walking stick.” pic.twitter.com/Uz1gIkMHz4

— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) September 6, 2026

It’s no surprise, then, that Reform rent-a-gob Robert Jenrick played down the incident in an equally statesmanlike manner – by commenting “Boo hoo!”

"Oh, boo hoo."

Reform UK Treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick tells a protester who appeared to have been hit by members at the party's conference to "get a life".@jonsopelhttps://t.co/LkCJrVVpe7

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/f4pu03hQhI

— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 6, 2026

Sky’s Jon Sopel wasn’t impressed by the trivialisation of the assault, and neither were these people.

1.

This genuinely needs to be career ending???
He is told a free speech protestor young woman has had their hair pulled and beaten by a crowd of men and he says “oh boohoo” ??? pic.twitter.com/FPiZngbqUv

— Dr Chris Burden 🐺 (@WulfrunianChris) September 6, 2026

2.

This video reportedly from the Reform annual conference in Birmingham has been widely circulated on social media.

The party’s would-be chancellor, Robert Jenrick, said this on TV this morning:

“A far left protestor goes into a party conference, tries to wreck the leader’s… pic.twitter.com/3TqA3GNFe1

— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) September 6, 2026

3.

This is the response to an assault by a group of people on a woman who merely heckled.@RobertJenrick simply says “oh, boo hoo”.

The language of Reform UK. People will remember this. https://t.co/0M84N5d4Ef

— Reform UK Exposed 🇬🇧 (@reformexposed) September 6, 2026

4.

😾 Dead Cat Alert 😾

Jenrick has clearly been told to say this. Reform UK know that this will now pull focus from the wider scandal of the party corruption.

Don't be fooled; this has been gamed out. https://t.co/0i2pzkJAH5

— Don McGowan (@donmcgowan) September 6, 2026

5.

Jesus this messaging is awful.
Great to see @jonsopel on this show, he doesn’t tolerate fools. pic.twitter.com/IFZo4oGCRm

— Brendan May (@bmay) September 6, 2026

6.

Those @reformparty_uk free speech policies in full:

Milkshakes = terrorism
Beating someone with a walking stick, pulling their hair and kicking them = oh, boo hoo. Get a life. https://t.co/y2NcAoOtsz

— fleetstreetfox (@fleetstreetfox) September 6, 2026

7.

They are just openly horrible now, Reform. Not sure how this tallies with the fun bloke in the pub persona https://t.co/VQQpcAOZzl

— Luke McGee (@lukemcgee) September 6, 2026

8.

So in summary, it seems that internally Reform refer to Birmingham as Pakistan, and despite calling for jail sentences for anyone daring to throw milkshake at Farage, they’re pro women beating if anyone disagrees with their brand of politics

Cry arsed gobshites https://t.co/2NB8J92hMF

— Stuzi 🐝🐝 (@stuzi_pants) September 6, 2026

9.

The extent to which Jenrick is willing to debase and lower himself is borderline masochism https://t.co/voVzeIjgSq

— Tom💐 (@TomHulme79) September 6, 2026

10.

pic.twitter.com/rZu09i5Uba

— Reform UK Exposed 🇬🇧 (@reformexposed) September 6, 2026

11.

Reform: “protect our women and girls.”

Reform when a woman is attacked on their watch: “oh boo hoo.”

Horrible. https://t.co/c9L4Y2KxQg

— Max Wilkinson MP (@mpmwilko) September 6, 2026