Eleven 'far-right agitators' banned from UK ahead of rally, government says

 

Eleven 'far-right agitators' banned from UK ahead of rally, government says

5 hours ago

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8r8vgnn655o

 

Emily Atkinson

BBC News

 

Eleven foreign "far-right agitators" have been blocked from entering the country to attend a rally organised by anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson, the government has said.

 

Thousands are expected to join the Unite the Kingdom event on Saturday, while an annual pro-Palestinian demonstration takes place in another part of London.

 

Sir Keir Starmer said "we're in a fight for the soul of this country" ahead of the protest.

 

The Metropolitan Police is anticipating one of its busiest days in recent years, and has drafted more than 4,000 officers over fears of clashes if the rival protests coincide.

 

Home Office blocks anti-Islam influencer from entering UK

In a statement on Friday, Sir Keir said: "We're in a fight for the soul of this country, and the Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against.

 

"Its organisers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple. We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence.

 

"For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law".

 

 

 

The BBC has approached Unite the Kingdom for comment.

 

In a post on X on Friday, Robinson - whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - wrote: "Keir Starmer's regime are the enemy of the British people. Descend on London."

 

Among the 11 blocked from entering the UK is the US-based, anti-Islam influencer Valentina Gomez, who attended the first Unite the Kingdom march last September.

 

While that rally began largely peacefully, there were a series of violent confrontations with police and anti-Muslim hate speech incidents.

 

Protesters are due to gather at Parliament Square on Saturday, while the separate pro-Palestine Nakba Day march begins at Waterloo Place.

 

In addition, tens of thousands of football fans are expected at Wembley Stadium for the FA Cup Final.

 

The Met said the risks meant it had to impose the "highest degree of control", including the first authorisation of live facial recognition cameras at a demonstration - specifically at the Unite the Kingdom rally.

 

"We're expecting significant public attendance and intelligence indicates there is likely to be a threat to public safety at this specific protest," the force's head of facial recognition, Lindsey Chiswick, told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.

 

"To be clear, we're not deploying this at the protest, we're not deploying in the middle of the march, it's very much on the outskirts."

 

She added that the use of the technology will also help protect peaceful protesters because it is able "to spot the people there to cause violent harm".

 

Other measures include deploying drones to identify suspects, putting armoured vehicles on standby, and equipping all officers with riot gear.

 

Specialist officers are also primed to take swift decisions to arrest and charge hate speech crimes, which may include arrests for chants referring to "intifada" at the pro-Palestinian march.

 

New guidance, issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), also pushes prosecutors to consider whether protest placards, banners and chants viewed on social media may amount to offences of stirring up hatred.

 

Director of public prosecutions (DPP) Stephen Parkinson said: "This is not about restricting free speech. It is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions.

 

"Where the line into criminality is crossed, we will not hesitate to prosecute."

Islamists Taking Over Uk Politics in Birmingham

 

Islamists Taking Over Uk Politics in Birmingham

In Birmingham, recent local elections (May 2026) have seen a notable shift in voting patterns, specifically involving the rise of independent and pro-Gaza candidates. While some commentators and political figures characterize this as an "Islamist" influence or sectarian voting, local analysts and community members often describe it as a standard democratic response to dissatisfaction with mainstream parties.

 

Key Developments in Birmingham Politics

• Rise of Independent Candidates: Several independent candidates achieved significant gains in Birmingham's local elections. For instance, Ayoub Khan, an independent who overturned a massive Labour majority to become an MP, cited the conflict in Gaza as a "prime factor" for voters.
• Dissatisfaction with Labour: Long-standing Labour dominance in Birmingham has been challenged by voters who feel the party has ignored local issues like homelessness and anti-social behavior, as well as international concerns such as the war in Gaza.
• The "Gaza Factor": Polling indicates that for many British Muslim voters, Gaza has become a central electoral issue, second only to the cost of living. This has led to the emergence of "Muslim-led political mobilization," sometimes referred to by think tanks like Policy Exchange as "Islamopopulism".
• Controversial Candidates: The election featured controversial figures such as Shahid Butt, a man previously convicted of terror-related offenses in Yemen (though he maintains his innocence), who stood for a council seat in Birmingham to "push back against the far right".

Differing Perspectives

• Sectarianism Concerns: Critics and some right-leaning media outlets argue that Birmingham is facing a "sectarian" takeover where voting is based primarily on religious identity rather than broader national interests.
• Democratic Engagement: Conversely, others argue that what is happening is "democracy in action". They highlight that independent candidates often focus on hyper-local issues—such as the closure of youth centers and pothole repairs—while also representing their constituents' deeply held views on international human rights.
• Extremism Allegations: There have been reports of hardline groups, such as the UK chapter of Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), gaining influence in the city through social media and local mosques, raising concerns about radicalization

 

Has 'sectarian voting' taken over Birmingham?

Andrew Gilligan has not written a traditional book on "islamopopulism," but is a primary author behind a series of major investigative reports on the topic for the UK think tank Policy Exchange. Co-authored with Dr. Rakib Ehsan and Dr. Paul Stott, these reports examine the rise of independent Muslim politics and populist movements in Britain.

 

Andrew Gilligan has not written a traditional book on "islamopopulism," but is a primary author behind a series of major investigative reports on the topic for the UK think tank Policy Exchange. Co-authored with Dr. Rakib Ehsan and Dr. Paul Stott, these reports examine the rise of independent Muslim politics and populist movements in Britain.

 

The most prominent publications in this series include:

• Islamopopulism Part 2: Published in May 2026, this report focuses on the steady growth of Muslim independent candidates and councillors in local elections. It scrutinizes national bodies such as The Muslim Vote (TMV) and Vote Palestine, looking at their political strategies, communal rhetoric, and their engagement with parties like the Greens.
• Understanding Islamopopulism: Views of Concern: Published in May 2026 ahead of the English local elections, this first installment analyzed polling data (conducted by JL Partners) to explore the views of British Muslims on key issues, including Gaza, cultural matters, and the distance between these voters and mainstream political parties.

The findings of these reports and the broader trends have been heavily featured and discussed by Gilligan in commentary for outlets like The Spectator.

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