Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP: Tory conference clash 'storm in a teacup'

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown apologised if anybody was offended

An MP says an altercation that saw him kicked out of the Conservative party conference was a "storm in a tea cup".

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown was asked to leave the event after he clashed with staff when one of his guests tried to enter a room without the relevant pass.

It led to a lockdown of part of the Manchester Central Convention Centre for about 20 minutes.

The Cotswolds MP said he wanted to "apologise profusely" if anybody was offended by what happened.

The altercation happened just before Home Secretary Priti Patel stood up to make a speech "trying to reclaim the Tories as the party of law and order".

At the time, a staff member guarding the door of the International Lounge said the "small misunderstanding" was sparked by a disagreement.

The International Lounge at the venue was locked down for around 20 minutes

Sir Geoffrey told BBC West politics editor Paul Barltrop: "It was a minor altercation because my other half had a press pass and was being told by security that she couldn't come into the international pavilion where I had been, and I came out to try and get her in.

"She didn't come in and that was the end of it.

"Literally, she and I, and the people I was meeting in the international lounge left and went to another place to have our meeting."

Sir Geoffrey said there was no physical altercation during the incident and only raised voices.

He also said reports that he had been arrested or an ambulance had been called were "completely wrong".

"I haven't spoken to any police, there is no party investigation, so the whole thing was a complete storm in a teacup," the MP added.