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Brexit supporter MP David T C Davies labelled 'liar' and 'traitor' by fellow Brexit supporter

A Leave-backing MP has been filmed in a heated row with a bystander, who accused him of being “snowflake” and a “traitor” to fellow Brexit supporters.

David T C Davies, Tory MP for Monmouth in South Wales, was filming an interview for BBC Wales outside Parliament, when he became distracted by a woman recording him on her phone.

The vocal EU critic had been telling the interviewer that months of “verbal abuse, intimidation and threats" had driven him to wear a body camera for protection, before he turned to confront the woman as the BBC cameraman continued to film.

Her initial offending comments were not captured in the footage, but when asked to quieten down by the interviewer, she responds: “Why’s he feeling intimidated?

The Welsh MP has felt so threatened over the past year he now wears a body camera for protection (Official portrait)
The Welsh MP has felt so threatened over the past year he now wears a body camera for protection (Official portrait)

“When I came here I was quiet. I was just going to listen to what he was saying, but now I can tell he’s a remoaner,” she adds.

The bystander – who is seen sporting a black cap and head microphone and holding a crutch in her right arm – then asks the Welsh MP if he voted to remain in the European Union.

He tells her he voted to leave, to which she replies: “Well I don’t know why are you acting like a snowflake then,” before mocking him for being “a little intimidated by her.”

When the woman accuses the 48-year-old of “not acting like a Brexiteer”, he launches into a tirade, saying: “I campaigned for Brexit – where were you? Where were you people when I was out campaigning for brexit? You were nowhere. You were behind your keyboards and now you’ve come out. You are not a Brexiteer.

“I actually was campaigning for Brexit and have been for years, so i don’t need to be given lectures by people like you,” he adds, pointing at her as she continues to film on her phone.

Refusing to tell the woman his name, Mr Davies goes on to admit that he voted for Theresa May’s EU withdrawal deal.

“You voted for the deal!”, she shouts, turning her head. “Oh my god! And have you read the deal?”

The then tells the MP he’s “a liar” because to vote for the deal is to vote against leaving the EU.

“I tell you what, people like you make me want to join the EU again,” he responds.

The argument continues as the woman brands Mr Davies “a liar” and “a traitor” who has “betrayed 17.4 million people”.

Sitting on a stone step, the former Territorial Army officer asks her: “What have you done for your country? I spent ten years in uniform for my country. I bet you’ve done nothing for yours.”

“If you served the country you should know about sovereignty, you should know about democracy,” she says.

“Yeah, I know about people with big mouths and access to a keyboard as well,” he replies.

The clip, posted on BBC Wales’s Twitter page, has been watched more than 1.49 million times in less than 24 hours, and has been met by both praise and condemnation from social media users.

“Brexit eating itself in public. The Brexiters have unleashed forces of base nationalism they can't control,” tweeted one user.

While another commented: “Don't agree with @DavidTCDavies on much and certainly not on his support for Brexit but the verbal abuse and intimidation he suffers from this aggressive member of the public is shameful. He handles it quite well, I think, and it makes me warm to him.”

At the end of the confrontation, the woman digs into the BBC as well, calling the corporation a “disgrace” and accusing it of being bribed to support the EU.

“And that's what you put up with when you’re out here all the time,” says Mr Davies, gesturing at his opponent with his hand.

The MP retweeted the video clip on his own official Twitter page.