By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Nigel Farage said Reform UK cannot monitor members who support Tommy Robinson, despite describing the conduct leading to Robinson's harassment conviction as "very wrong."
Farage's press conference remarks
At a press conference on Wednesday, Farage responded sarcastically to questions about whether he was happy for Reform members to support Robinson. He mocked the idea of brainwashing members and enforcing cancel culture, saying people have different opinions and liking a social media post does not make them "full-blown marchers." He added that he had not heard the details of the conviction but said if Robinson was convicted, it was "very wrong indeed."
Robinson's conviction and sentencing
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Lennon, was convicted of harassing two journalists, freelance reporter Andrew Young and Daily Mail editor Jacob Dirnhuber, causing them to fear violence. Prosecutors labelled the 43-year-old a "bully." The journalists felt forced to leave their homes or hire extra security due to fear of vigilante attacks. Robinson could face up to 10 years in prison.
Farage's longstanding opposition to Robinson
Farage has consistently opposed allowing Robinson to join his political parties, describing him as "thuggish." The Clacton MP previously said Reform UK aims to win the next general election and that Robinson is "not what we need."
