Memorable "attacks" on politicians

By Jon Swaine

February 1998
John Prescott, then the Deputy Prime Minister, is soaked when Danbert Nobacon, from the band Chumbawumba, throws a bucket of ice water over him at the Brit Awards in protest at Labour's treatment of striking dockers in Liverpool.

February 2000
Nick Brown, then the Agriculture Minister, has a chocolate éclair squashed into his face by an environmental activist at the National Farmers' Union annual conference in London.

January 2001
Tony Blair, then the Prime Minister, is hit on the back by a tomato thrown by a student in Bristol protesting against British sanctions on Iraq.

March 2001
Clare Short, then the International Development Secretary, has a custard pie thrown at her by an antiglobalisation protester during a public meeting at the University of Bangor in Wales.

May 2001
Mr Prescott is egged by Craig Evans, a pro-countryside protester, during a general election campaign event in Rhyl, North Wales. In return Mr Prescott punches Mr Evans, a farm worker, in the face.

April 2004
Mr Prescott has another two eggs thrown at his ministerial Jaguar by pro-hunting campaigners as he arrives to give a speech on regional devolution in Kendal, Cumbria.

May 2004
Mr Blair is pelted with purple flour bombs by protesters from the campaign group Fathers 4 Justice during Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons.

February 2006
Ruth Kelly, then the Education Secretary, is pelted with eggs by a Fathers 4 Justice protester after attending a court hearing in which another F4J campaigner was sentenced for attempting to handcuff her a year earlier.

October 2008
Phil Woolas, the Immigration Minister, receives a custard pie in the face from a pro-migration campaigner during a debate at Manchester University.

Other notable throwing attacks on politicians in recent years include:

April 2000
Ann Widdecombe, then the shadow home secretary, has a custard pie thrown at her by pro-asylum protesters at a book-signing in Oxford.

December 2004
Robert Kilroy-Silk, the television presenter and MEP, has a bucket of slurry thrown over him by a protester acting "in the name of Islam" as he arrives to take part in a BBC radio recording at a school in Manchester, having written an article criticising the religion.

December 2008
George W. Bush, then the US president, has a pair of shoes thrown at him by an Iraqi journalist while giving his final press conference in the country.

February 2009
Wen Jiabao, the Chinese Premier, has a shoe thrown at him by a German postgraduate student, protesting at China's human rights record, while he gives a speech at Cambridge University.