BBC Question Time: Lord of the Rings star branded ‘sexist’ as he clashes with ‘betrayal’ MPs

John Rhys Davies – who once claimed Europe faces a Muslim “demographic catastrophe” – confronted Remainer MPs to their faces on the BBC’s Question Time but was accused of being “thuggish”

A Brexiteer Lord of the Rings Star has faced criticism after he used Question Time to attack MPs for “betraying democracy”.

John Rhys-Davies – who played Gimli the dwarf – claimed he had “never seen” such anger as he made a rare appearance on the flagship BBC debate show.

The 74-year-old Welsh actor faced down Labour’s Jon Ashworth, Green MP Caroline Lucas and Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable as he appeared on the show in Nottingham.

But he was branded “thuggish” and “sexist” by one prominent campaigner as he lost his temper in one clash with Ms Lucas – and shouted at her: “Oh, woman!”.

At one point he said: “I have never seen such a level of anger.

“I do believe every member here entered politics in order to the best for their people who elected them, for their constituencies.

“But your primary objective is to preserve democracy.

“And whatever you may feel, you have betrayed democracy.”

Many audience members applauded enthusiastically as he unleashed his comments against MPs.

But he was also branded “thuggish” and “sexist” for shouting “oh, woman!” at Ms Lucas in a separate rant.

The actor snapped when the Green MP said Donald Trump does not represent the American people.

Slapping his hand down on the desk he replied: “Oh woman! Have you ever read Kenneth Harold and Arrow’s Theorem?

“Any system of election has its problems!”

Ms Lucas replied: “And the American one more than most!”

Prominent Remain campaigner Femi Oluwole, of the Our Future Our Choice group, tweeted: “Did anyone else feel genuinely worried for Caroline Lucas in this moment?

“John Rhys-Davies may sound posh, but that was thuggish behaviour by anyone’s definition. (sexist too)”

It comes amid anger among Brexiteers after the date for leaving the EU was delayed to October 31.

Theresa May has also entered talks with Labour which her hardline Brexiteers believe could lead to a ‘softer’ deal.

Meanwhile some MPs, include Ms Lucas and Sir Vince, have been campaigning for a second referendum.

Rhys-Davies has previously been described as not being a member of any political party.

In 2016 he claimed Tony Blair , David Cameron and Gordon Brown were “the least qualified men to govern a country that we’ve had in 200 years.”

But he was embroiled in an Islamophobia row in 2004 after hardline comments he made about Islam were endorsed by the BNP.

According to Wales Online, he declared he was “for dead (traditional) white male culture”.

He added at the time: “There is a demographic catastrophe happening in Europe that nobody wants to talk about, that we daren’t bring up because we are so cagey about not offending people racially. And rightly we should be. But there is a cultural thing as well.

“By 2020, 50 per cent of the children in Holland under the age of 18 will be of Muslim descent.

“I think that Tolkien says that some generations will be challenged. And if they do not rise to meet that challenge, they will lose their civilisation. That does have a real resonance with me.”

Meanwhile Sir Vince Cable used last night’s Question Time to issue a plea for anti-Brexit MPs to work together.

He slammed reports that Change UK – which formed from the Independent Group of 11 defector MPs – is plotting to seize Lib Dem support in the EU elections on May 23.

Sir Vince said: “I would be much happier frankly if we pooled our resources and worked together.”

Asked if he would refuse to stand candidates against Change UK he said: “I had suggested we have that kind of cooperation.

“It wasn’t feasible within the present voting system and there wasn’t willingness to do it.

“I am concerned we’re just fragmenting in rather a chaotic way.”

Article source: The Mirror, by Dan Bloom