Tommy Robinson DROPPED By Rebel Media

When Ezra Levant of Rebel Media flew in to give the bad news to Caolan Robertson, former sidekick to Stephen Yaxley Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson), the encounter was recorded. And now that Lennon himself has parted company with Levant’s crowd, we can draw parallels between the two events and see that the picture Lennon has painted for his followers may not be a totally accurate one.

He's OUT at Rebel Media ...

This is what Levant told Robertson: “Lauren Southern, Jack Posobiec, we had our differences, but you’ll notice that they have been positive since they left us … do you see how smart they are … they may have grievances with me … they’re not actually saying there’ve been problems, they’re not grumbling publicly because that would be against … their contractual duties to me”. Mildly threatening. Then came the crunch.

“I am prepared to give you and Caolan a very nominal sum to sign a second confidentiality agreement. So don’t go down that road … launch yourselves as independent … be totally positive like Lauren Southern … ‘Hi guys, we had a great run at the Rebel, but now we’re doing something even better … we’re going independent, we’re gonna do whatever we want. We’re gonna do this, we’re gonna do that’. Don’t even mention the Rebel”.

Now let’s look at what Lennon told his followers yesterday. “Now, I’m going independent … that’s right, I’ve decided to leave the Rebel to go out and do it for myself … no more paywall and I’ll be my own boss … I’m going to have total freedom to cover the stories that matter to everyone … you’re going to be hearing a lot more from me. This is just the beginning”. It was his decision, he’s being totally positive. Well, maybe.

The problem for Lennon is not only the hint of a forced smile at the end of that video, but also the tape of Ezra Levant describing more or less the same thing when he was sacking Robertson. What is worse for Lennon is the time at which this parting of the ways has occurred: he is in the middle of what could be a disastrously expensive legal action against the Police, and may still be hit with one or more contempt charges.

... but she's IN. And able to go to CPAC

So the thought occurs that the timing of his split with Rebel Media was not of his choosing, although, as ever, he will no doubt claim otherwise, to the point of calling “liar” on anyone who concludes otherwise. And what may really be sticking in his craw is that Rebel Media has effectively switched its UK allegiance to someone else.

That someone else is Katie Hopkins, who is better-known that Lennon, has a CV that includes being a real newspaper columnist - even if she was a failure at it - and does not have the criminal record that stops Lennon from entering Rebel Media’s largest market - the USA. Hatey Katie has just been welcomed by the right-wing faithful at this year’s CPAC. Lennon can’t go there. Rebel Media have switched to someone who can.

Stephen Yaxley Lennon has had his moment in the sun, his broadcast media appearances, his fifteen minutes of fame. He’s now going to find out that without anyone backing him, he’s going to be hard pushed to make ends meet.

So that’s no more expensed round trips to Crewe any time soon. Sad, really.