Westminster was briefly united - in fury at the notorious anti-Brexit activist who drowned out Sir Keir Starmer's resignation speech.

Politicians on all sides condemned Steve Bray for blasting out the EU anthem Ode To Joy on a speaker outside the gates to Downing Street as the Prime Minister spoke.

There were calls for tougher police action or legal reforms to end his antics, which in recent years have also disrupted major announcements by previous premiers as well as making life a misery for thousands of people working in Parliament and Whitehall every week.

Although Mr Bray, 56, was taken to court last year for ignoring a ban on using loudspeakers in the area, he was cleared by a judge who said his 'fundamental right' to protest outweighed the 'inconvenience and irritation' to those trying to work nearby.

Reform UK's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said: 'Steve Bray has done the impossible. He's united the country. In despising him.'

He added: 'The reason he gets away with his shameful behaviour is the ECHR. Let's seize this moment to unify our nation behind finally serving notice and leaving this abominable treaty.'

Senior Tory MP Simon Hoare branded Mr Bray 'an embarrassing disgrace of an egotist'.

And Labour's Jacob Collier said: 'Complete lack of respect as the Prime Minister gave a dignified address to the nation.'

But Mr Bray himself insisted: 'Ode to Joy was played out of respect background volume!'

He claimed he had chosen it because Sir Keir had previously said it was his favourite piece of music.

When Rishi Sunak called the 2024 general election, Mr Bray played New Labour anthem Things Can Only Get Better.

And when Boris Johnson quit he played the Benny Hill theme tune.