Sex-noise ringtone prank on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer thwarted by security

Clement Manyathela (in for Bongani Bingwa on 702) speaks with international correspondent Vicki Turner.

Listen below:

A hidden cellphone set up to play ‘sexually explicit noises’ was discovered in the House of Commons this week.

The phone, which was taped to the underside of the Commons table, was discovered by Parliamentary staff during a routine sweep of the chamber.

The phone was secured with double-sided tape, which had lost its grip, allowing security to find it on the floor.

It is believed that someone intended to have the phone go off while Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced off against conservative leader Kemi Badenoch during the Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday.

“It's kind of like the modern Guy Fawkes in a way.”

– Vicki Turner

The phone rang twice during the PMQs after it had already been removed from the chamber.

RELATED: As right-wing populism surges in the UK, critics warn of a dangerous descent into xenophobia

Turner says the security staff on that morning had staged a strike because of pay, so it meant that no members of the public could go into the House of Commons.

“This means that the phone wasn't put there by a member of the public. It must have been put there by someone who works in the House of Commons, or even worse, a member of the security team themselves.” 

– Vicki Turner

Scroll up to the audio player for more.