Robert Jenrick with former councillors Bertha Joseph and Don Williams

CONSERVATIVE members were left shocked this evening (Wednesday) as activists infiltrated a private fund-raiser and began shouting at a guest speaker.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman had been due to speak to the Hampstead and Kilburn Association but was called away to attend Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s appearance in London.

Instead, Robert Jenrick,  the immigration minister, stepped in to speak to a gathering of members who had paid £30 per ticket to be in the church hall attached to the Church of Transfiguration on the Brent side of the borough  borders.

BREAKING: We’ve infiltrated a Tory event to protest this Government’s inhumane treatment of people seeking safety.

Who will be held accountable for the disappearance of 222 asylum-seeking children @RobertJenrick?

When will the Windrush generation get justice?

We need answers. pic.twitter.com/AzJODSQ6wb

— Green New Deal Rising (@GNDRising) February 9, 2023

After ‘nibbles and drinks’, a group of around five activists in smart clothes revealed themselves and began barracking. Police were not called but organisers said members had been upset by the protest.

Association chair Don Williams, a former councillor in Camden, said: “The questions had begun and they started shouting. To be honest, members said to me that they couldn’t really understand what they were shouting about. We are an open association and they could have asked a question and understood whether it was fair criticism, but they just started shouting and so we had to escort them out.”

He added that security had been softened after Ms Braverman had notified the Association that she was no longer able to attend, and that they were expecting a “relaxed discussion”.

“They had registered as Conservative members from other constituencies and had some food before the event started – they just said ‘yes, yes’ when people asked them anything, though, so were keeping a watchful eye on who these newcomers were,” Mr Williams said.

“Of course, we will have to look carefully at security at future events.”