UK
Tommy Robinson’s release, why he is significant, & what is to be done
“It must be remembered that it is Robinson’s ‘patriot’ supporters who rioted through our cities & towns, terrorising & attacking people of colour.”
By Ben Liao
Tommy Robinson is out. Originally due to be released on 26 July, Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) was granted an early escape on Tuesday.
After being held at HMP Woodhill, in Buckinghamshire, Robinson emerged with a grizzly beard and grown-out hair. Pretending as if he had been stranded on a desert island. He then promptly made his way down to the barbers for a trim, posting on X that he was going from ‘hobo to hero’.
Although it is laughable for us, Robinson is a hero to many of his far-right fans. His influence on British politics and ability to create space for extreme-right ideas is remarkable. It is worth remembering that Robinson has been at the centre of, or near to, most prominent far-right and racist street movements for quite a few years now. His ‘Unite the Kingdom’ marches have made huge breakthroughs for the far-right, bringing together an array of fascist forces like the BNP, Homeland and the National Front.
He has played a huge role in the normalisation of far-right ideology, being one of the key causes of the terrifying regression around rejecting racism. Sending us back to what he might consider the ‘good old days’ of the heights of the National Front.
While he may be a racist thug, we should not ignore his centrality as a political operator for the far right. It is difficult to imagine they would be doing anywhere near as well without him. Nigel Farage, being the ‘respectable’ side of the coin, of course, more than plays his part, but Robinson has cultivated the surging street movements.
It must be remembered that it is Robinson’s ‘patriot’ supporters who rioted through our cities and towns, terrorising and attacking people of colour. Again, it is difficult to see how we could have gotten to that point without his cultivation of a (relatively) united far-right.
Almost immediately on his release from prison, Robinson announced a ‘Free Speech Festival’ in London on September 13th, which he claims will bring together ‘Unite the Kingdom’, MAGA (Make America Great Again) and MEGA (Make England Great Again). His claim to have speakers coming from America, Canada, Europe, and Australia highlights the seriousness and international connectedness of his movement. It is clear they aren’t going anywhere.
Any thinking that their support could collapse into Reform UK as the latter rises will prove to be a pipe dream. The two will grow together, each one providing a form of legitimacy for the other. For Reform UK, Robinson’s far-right street movement provides a never-ending push at the boundary of acceptability when it comes to racist rhetoric. For Robinson, Reform UK gives a ‘soft edge’ and indeed some politicians who are willing to apologise for him, also allowing him to push the boundaries.
So, what is to be done? There are three key elements to the struggle against Robinson and his far-right thugs. In no particular order of importance: anti-racist street presence, hardening anti-racism within our unions and social movements, and, once again, the need for a real alternative to disaster capitalism.
Anti-racist street presence is crucial. While some question the strategy of counter-demonstrations against Robinson’s far-right hate fests, to leave them unopposed would be a mistake for multiple reasons. Firstly, to leave them unopposed would be to show a lack of resistance to their ideas. As anyone who has attended the incredible marches for Palestine knows, mass mobilisation breeds confidence and increases morale. To leave the far-right unattended would be to allow them to maximise this for their side.
It is also a crucial outlet for people who have come under intense attack from across the political spectrum to stand up and fight back. The political climate of the last year has made many afraid. To march against the far-right who seek to terrorise us is to strike back against their hate. So on 13 September and beyond, when they march, we must mobilise to show them they don’t run our streets.
We also need to redouble efforts to further anti-racism in our trade unions. The rise of Reform has shown potential fragility in the currently decent positions of our unions towards anti-racism. Some unions are starting to become more cautious in calling out the toxic narratives of the far-right as it becomes clear that relatively large numbers of members support Reform. For this reason, anti-racists must organise at every level to push our unions to have a proactive strategy to defeat the racism of the far-right.
This is, of course, always said, but it is always true. The institutions of the working class must defend workers of all backgrounds. Any move otherwise would be a huge blow to solidarity and the legitimacy of the trade unions as institutions. We have to resist reactionary behaviour in these difficult times. Pushing for stronger anti-racism in trade unions must be a priority, not an afterthought.
The same must also be done in other social movements and community organisations, many of which remain led and dominated by white people in many areas, from tenants’ unions to the climate movement, to student organisations and beyond. In the face of regression, we must use these forums to push fearlessly for progress.
Last but not least, the government. Many of us feel like a broken record at this point, but the collapse in living standards for many has led directly to the rise of the far-right. If your high street is barren, your local industry vanished many years ago, and you can’t access a home you can afford, crisis breeds insecurity. Insecurity is quickly swept up by the far-right. The deep and justified anger at the political establishment is easily subverted and pointed towards a scapegoat. The clamour on the far-right that British culture is being destroyed, speaks to that deep crisis and insecurity rooted in the material decline so many have experienced.
There is no way out of this through capitalism, there will be no tinkering solution. As global capitalism slowly declines, it produces more reactionary movements and seeks to deflect societal anger onto the easier target, the migrant or person of colour. The primary goal – preservation of capital power – is maintained through this unnatural division of the working class. Capitalism divides us against each other, forcing us to compete for a smaller and smaller piece of the pie. As the crisis deepens, the tendency to divide, which fuels the far-right, will likely intensify. Capitalism tells us to ignore the gap between workers and the super-rich and instead punch sideways, onto people also suffering from exploitation.
A bold socialist government which redesigns the economy to prioritise allocation of resources to produce for need over greed, is the only holistic solution to this crisis. Only when we move to reduce the outrageous inequality in our society can we begin to heal the deep anger people fear. This inequality, the natural byproduct of capitalism, is key to the rise of the far-right and underpins the deep bitterness that they exploit. Only real change can heal these divisions long-term. As always, it is socialism or barbarism.
So yes, there is much to be done. But the stakes are high. The far-right pretend to be on the side of workers when in reality their agenda will only lead to a further erosion of power, not a chance to regain control. For those who have lived our formative years in the 21st century, we are entering the struggle of our lives. This is not a time for despair – it is a time for action, no matter how difficult.
- Ben Liao is a socialist and anti-racist activist. You can follow him on Twitter/X.
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