Tory Brexiteer fumes as live TV interviews repeatedly drowned out by ‘stop Brexit man’ protester

'If we do leave it will be a delight to engage with these people and tell them they’ve lost,' says Mark Francois

Mark Francois has denounced an “idiot” anti-Brexit activist after two live television interviews were disrupted by his repeated shouting.

The Tory Brexiteer became visibly irked in an interview with BBC News when a man yelled “Stop Brexit!” and “Revoke Article 50!” during his attempts to explain his stance on exit negotiations.

“If we leave [the EU], it will be delightful that this idiot will shut up,” Mr Francois said, controlling his tone while unable to conceal the frustration in his face.

“He’s exercising his democratic right,” replied the BBC’s presenter. “I appreciate it makes it very difficult to do an interview and we do want to hear you as well.”

“We’ll have a go,” said Mr Francois, adding that he and other members of the European Research Group (ERG) – the Conservatives’ extreme Eurosceptic wing – were due to hold a meeting at Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon.

The group had agreed on Tuesday night that “if there is a deal and we’re going to have, in effect, meaningful vote for on Saturday, then the ERG will meet that morning, the officers will make a recommendation to the ERG on whether or not to support the deal once we’ve read the details, we’ll debate it, and then it will be up to every individual member of the ERG, as it were, to look into their heart and decide what’s best for their country”, Mr Francois said.

Widely known as 'Stop Brexit Man', protester Steve Bray has gained notoriety for his daily demonstrations in Westminster's College Green, during which he repeatedly bellows slogans as politicians and other commentators conduct live TV interviews.

The Rayleigh and Wickford MP suffered further “Stop Brexit!” interjections from Mr Bray in an interview with Sky News.

He told Sky News’ Adam Boulton: “If we do leave, by the way, it will be a delight to go and engage with these people and tell them they’ve lost.”