UK in crisis? Enter Keanu Reeves

Star on film industry lobbying trip asked to be next PM.

by Jennie Kermode

Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves Photo: Gordon Correll

The past week has been a turbulent one for the UK, with the public voting to leave the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron resigning and conventional politics in disarray. Many MPs, like members of the public, have been left feeling that they need a hero to save the day. Who should appear in the hallowed halls of Westminster but Speed star Keanu Reeves.

As it emerged, he was neither there to tell them they'd reach Point Break nor to assure them that they were caught in The Matrix and would soon wake up. According to Mark Pritchard, he was there to meet Nadhim Zahawi and lobby for increased support for the film industry, but few MPs had been forewarned. Stella Creasy spoke of amazement at seeing somebody who looked like her teenage crush before she realised that it really was him. Apparently amused by the fuss, he posed for selfies with assorted parliamentarians, but failed to respond to members of the public who asked if he would mind taking over as prime minister for a bit. He did confirm to Sky's Darren McCaffey that he is not planning to join Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet.

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