Although he has been a little quieter of late, the world of Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who styles himself Tommy Robinson, continues on its way, independent of, and indeed, often immune to, reality. Except, that is, when it comes to money. Anything that interrupts the flow of money to the Lennon empire brings reality rushing back in. And yesterday came the kind of inward money interruption that may cost him dear.
As the BBC has reported, “Paypal has told former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson it will no longer process payments on his behalf … Online petitions calling on finance firms to sever links with him have gained thousands of signatures … In a statement, Paypal said it could not comment on individual customers but added that it regularly reviewed accounts to ensure their use aligned with its acceptable use policy”.
There was more. “Accounts that broke its policies would be closed, it said … Paypal added: ‘We do not take decisions like these lightly, and we work hard to be rigorous and fair-minded when reviewing PayPal accounts … Striking the necessary balance between upholding free expression and open dialogue and protecting principles of tolerance, diversity and respect for all people is a challenge’”.
Politicalite has leapt to Lennon’s defence. “TOMMY Robinson hit back at PayPal last night and accused Big Tech of ‘conspiring’ to take him down after the online payment processor banned him from using their service … [he] said: ‘This is their attempt to remove me’ and claimed that PayPal had not given him a ‘legitimate’ reason revealing that he only found out that the online payment system had ‘frozen’ his account via BBC News”.
It was, as ever, someone else’s fault. So who done it? “The political activist also accused Big Tech in Silicon Valley and the Mainstream Media of ‘conspiring’ and coming together to take him down … He said he had seen it coming for ‘months’ with reports in the fake news media that falsely claimed he was set to earn £1m from speeches in America, that claim was allegedly from George Soros’ funded Hope Not Hate”. The Jews done it!
Lennon was not a happy bunny. “Look at the PayPal Fascists, can't even explain what exactly I have done that is not inline with their User agreement . They steal our funds for 6 months? Screw Paypal and the establishment if you still want to support me you can do so without Paypal”. There’s some serious money tied up there, isn’t there, Stephen?
What he is alluding to with the “steal our funds” claim (which, as with so many of Lennon’s assertions, is not true) is this: “You can still log on and see your account information but you can’t send or receive money. Any money in your balance will be held for 180 days, after which we’ll send you an email with instructions on how to transfer your money”.
But Stephen Lennon can’t look in the mirror and understand that the person he sees there is the architect of their own problems. It’s the establishment, it’s a conspiracy, they’re all tying to silence him, remove him. He employs all those other people. All he is doing is bringing his followers THE TRUTH. All the left will be celebrating (this last is actually true).
The reality is that he was adjudged to have not met the T&Cs, so he was treated the same way as anyone else doing that. It’s his own fault. Full stop, end of story
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Lennon might have a long wait for the return of any monies held in the account suspended by PayPal. I have personal experience of this as a former official of an organisation which someone had foolishly and erroneously registered with PayPal as a charity. It took 3 years for the small amount - under £10 - in the account to be paid over to us.
ReplyDeleteCalling them fascists is a bit rich, coming from him.
ReplyDeleteWhere on earth does he think he is on the political spectrum?
Always the victim isn't he?
ReplyDeleteAny leftie who thinks PayPal a good thing should think again.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you care to tell us why it doesn't operate in Palestine and has shut down pro-Palestinian organizations accounts. It'll be their judgement on "hate, violence or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory" at work I presune.
They should be made to explain on what basis they think those they ban breach this, I would suggest they may find this difficult to justify in a lot of cases.
Don't we have laws about businesses discriminating? I believe workers in the "adult industry" have had problems with them, Pakistanis cannot send money home with them.
Public companies operating in this country should be open to all and they should not be able to choose who they serve by political or ethical judgements.
Any day now "Tommy" will have his memoir and political manifesto published*.
ReplyDeleteProbably titled Mein Kampf 2.
*Publishers connected to the Murdoch/Rothermere axis of evil.
Anon 11:36 - Much like social media I'd guess that PayPal can pick and choose who they allow to use them: if you don't like it then don't play with them. Whether this is a public company or not it is an online American company so they don't have to play by UK rules - did you whine when your local lady of the night had problems, or is it just Robinson you care about? How much money have you got invested in him?
ReplyDeleteBeing obnoxious, openly stupid and demonstrating white supremacist tendencies while playing the victim card is an excellent reason to ban this Nazi nutter. Where will he be banned next?
PayPal another globalist Soros backed institution trying to control our lives.
ReplyDeleteIsrael okay, Palestine and Pakistan not, co-incidence?
Is the easy and very public banning of prominent figures labelled on the "far right" a convenient smokescreen for their more iniquitous activities against people and places they care not to do business with? I put it out there!
Surely any company, wherever registered, should have to apply by our rules on equality and discrimination when doing business here.
it should have to openly state exactly what "hate, violence or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory" has been perpetrated by ALL people and institutions it bans or refuses, therefore giving them a chance to challenge these assumptions.
That is the British way and a pox on anyone that thinks banning and excluding and starting petitions to ban and exclude anyone and anything is a "progressive" way forward. We didn't fight and shed blood for freedoms to have them eroded these ways - Remember Peterloo!
Anon 13:08
ReplyDeleteWrong, on all counts!
Obnoxious, openly stupid, = projection.
It'll all be moot if "Tommy" gets banged up with Ali Sweet Pants.
ReplyDeleteAn event which will have them spitting tacks in The Cherry Tree in curtain-twitching Culceth, but which will bring all democrats to their feet, cheering. To say nothing of "Tommy's" bowel movements.
It couldn't happen to a more deserving Nazi.
Bring it on, I say, bring it on.
Anon 17:04 - so you are happy with 'demonstrating white supremacist tendencies' then?
ReplyDeleteAnd as for 'Obnoxious, openly stupid...' have you actually tried dealing with the guy? He is apparently like one Adolf Hitler in that he likes to have the idea, so when in charge of the EDL (I am told by a work colleague whose ex husband was apparently a favoured 'stormtrooper - her words) he was fed snippets until he had these 'great' ideas, and watch out anyone who tried to remind him that someone else came up with it before him.
I read about Tommy Robinson getting shut off by Paypal. I have previously tried to donate to Tommy several months ago but there was a problem that prevented me from doing so.
ReplyDeleteI tried again tonight (14Nov2018) and was able to set up a recurring monthly donation of $10.63. The change of 63 cents covers fees. Paypal doesn't seem to have stopped Tommy from getting donations.