European elections: Tommy Robinson ‘standing as MEP for north-west England’

English Defence League co-founder is currently facing up to two years imprisonment in an ongoing court case

Tommy Robinson has announced that he is standing in the European parliamentary elections, despite facing a prison sentence of up to two years in an ongoing court case.

The English Defence League co-founder says he will stand in the North West region of England.

“Put me right inside the EU and they won’t know what hit them,” he told supporters, claiming that he would “fight to preserve our national identity against Islamification” and cut immigration.

Robinson appeared to be standing as an independent candidate, despite being appointed as Ukip’s adviser on grooming gangs by leader Gerard Batten last year.

The anti-Islam activist, who has served prison sentences for crimes including fraud, was prevented from becoming a Ukip member by rules barring former members of the EDL and British National Party.

He announced his candidacy to followers on the encrypted messaging app Telegram, after being banned from mainstream social networks including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

It coincided with the deadline for nominating candidates for the European elections, which are being unexpectedly fought by all mainstream UK parties after Britain’s departure from the EU was delayed until October at the earliest.

Robinson originally said he would make the “biggest announcement to date” at a barbecue in Wythenshawe, Manchester, on Thursday evening.

A housing trust that owns the estate where the event was to be held said it had “explicitly declined the use of any of our land or assets for this event” but Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, told his supporters to “ignore” the statement.

“We have communicated this to Mr Robinson via Greater Manchester Police, to advise he has no permission to use our land,” the Wythenshawe Community Housing Group added.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “We are aware of an event linked to a European elections campaign that is taking place in the Broadoak Green area of Wythenshawe this evening.

“There is a community policing operation in place and officers will respond proportionately to any incidents that require their attention.”

Mike Kane, the Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, said Robinson’s “far-right political views are not welcome in our town and our great city”.

He signed a joint letter with local Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders speaking out against the event.

“We are firm in our beliefs that violence and racism have no place in our political discourse,” said the letter.

“Wythenshawe is a proud community. It is our community. It is a community that rejects hate and works tirelessly for the common good. A community with a bright future.

“Our community has a history of welcoming people, we have thriving Chagossian and Keralan communities, among others, living and working here. If we were to welcome this man we’d be dismissing the valued contribution these people have made to the area.

“As community leaders we call upon our communities to reject the politics of division and hate.”

Campaigners from Stand Up to Racism and Unite Against Fascism said Robinson and other anti-Islam politicians were not welcome.

“[Robinson] is not welcome in Wythenshawe, nor anywhere in the north west,” said Nahella Ashraf, from Manchester Stand Up To Racism.

It comes as he awaits a new court hearing over alleged contempt of court at a grooming gang trial in Leeds.

Robinson was jailed over a Facebook Live stream that violated reporting restrictions last May, but the Court of Appeal freed him in August over procedural failings.

Tommy Robinson, former leader of the English Defence League (EDL), was freed over procedural failings (AFP/Getty)

He has since launched his own “news service” and has been banned from social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

The firms said they were enforcing their terms of service but Robinson said the bans amounted to “censorship” and is appealing for donations to buy a bus where he can display his messages from a screen.

He had previously appealed for donations for a harassment case against Cambridgeshire Constabulary, which resulted in him losing and being ordered to pay £20,000 in costs.

There was further embarrassment in February, when footage emerged of Robinson boasting about scoring drugs and using a racial slur.

In a campaign video, Robinson said he had never voted and going into politics “wasn’t part of his plan”.

Britain will go to the polls on 23 May, the same date Robinson was scheduled to be in Adelaide on the first stage of a speaking tour of Australia.

Fans had paid up to A$995 (£532) for tickets to see the anti-Islam activist, alongside Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and former editor for Breitbart News Network Milo Yiannopoulos, in five cities.

The tour was originally supposed to take place in December and has so far been postponed several times and it was unclear whether Australian visa rules would allow Robinson entry with his criminal convictions and extremist background.

Organisers did not immediately respond to The Independent’s request for comment.