C of E to
challenge Tommy Robinson’s ‘put Christ back into Christmas’ message
Church
leaders respond to far-right appropriation of Christian symbols with ‘Outsiders
welcome’ message
Harriet
Sherwood
Sun 7 Dec
2025 10.31 CET
The
Church of England is to launch a poster campaign aimed at challenging the
anti-migrant message of Tommy Robinson, whose “Unite the Kingdom” movement has
urged its supporters to join a carols event next weekend to “put the Christ
back into Christmas”.
The
posters, which will go on display at bus stops, say “Christ has always been in
Christmas” and “Outsiders welcome”. They will also be available for local
churches to download and display over the festive period.
The C of
E’s decision to challenge Robinson’s extreme rightwing stance comes amid
growing unease among church leaders about the rise of Christian nationalism and
the appropriation of Christian symbols to bolster the views of his supporters.
At a
march organised by Unite the Kingdom in September there was a significant
presence of Christian symbols, including wooden crosses and flags bearing
Christian slogans, as well as chants of “Christ is king” and calls to defend
“God, faith, family, homeland”.
Last
week, Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, announced next
weekend’s Christmas carol event at an undisclosed outdoor venue in central
London. It would mark the beginning of “a new Christian revival in the UK – a
moment to reclaim and celebrate our heritage, culture and Christian identity”.
Some
Christian activists are planning a counter-event to protest at the far-right
views of those organising the carol service.
The C of
E posters are part of a wider response to Robinson and Unite the Kingdom from a
number of churches. The Joint Public Issues Team, a partnership between the
Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist church and the United Reformed
church is offering a “rapid response resource” for local churches trying to
“navigate the complexities” of Christian nationalism and the “co-option of
Christian language and symbols – including Christmas – for a nationalist
agenda”.
The Rev
Arun Arora, bishop of Kirkstall and co-lead bishop on racial justice for the C
of E, said: “We must confront and resist the capture of Christian language and
symbols by populist forces seeking to exploit the faith for their own political
ends.”
He said
that Robinson’s conversion to Christianity in prison was welcome but did not
give him “the right to subvert the faith so that it serves his purposes rather
than the other way round”.
A church
that failed to act in response would be diminished, Arora added. “Whether in
the warnings of the prophets or the teaching of Jesus, there is an unambiguous
call to ensure justice for the weakest and most vulnerable.
“As we
approach Christmas and recall the Holy Family’s own flight as refugees, we
reaffirm our commitment to stand alongside others in working for an asylum
system that is fair, compassionate, and rooted in the dignity of being human.”
After
September’s Unite the Kingdom march, Christian leaders published an open letter
saying that “any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude
others is unacceptable”. Among the signatories were seven C of E bishops and
senior leaders in the Methodist, Baptist and Pentecostal churches, the Church
of Scotland, the Salvation Army and the Catholic social action network Caritas.
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