Tommy Robinson Barbecue BANNED

[Update at end of post]

Yesterday, Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who styles himself Tommy Robinson, arrived somewhere in the North West ahead of his great announcement this evening. He had told his followers that he would be hosting a “massive” barbecue in Wythenshawe. It is expected that he will use the event to declare his independent candidacy for the European Parliament elections next month. But not everything in his garden is rosy.

Lennon cannot stand under the banner of UKIP, the party he advises, because of his past association with both the EDL and the BNP. So on this occasion he must break ranks with Adolf von Batten and provoke a split in the far right vote, which will be interesting, given Nigel “Thirsty” Farage’s Brexit Party, and For Britain, will also be standing candidates.

But setting off a PFJ moment among the far right is the least of Lennon’s worries: right now, his barbecue may not take place at all. After it was confirmed that the venue was the green opposite Brownley Green Methodist Church, news came from the Wythenshawe Community Housing Group that it was their land and he wasn’t welcome.

Their statement was unequivocal. “WCHG would like to clarify its position regarding recent social media activity regarding Tommy Robinson holding a BBQ in Wythenshawe on Thursday … For clarity we have explicitly declined the use of any of our land or assets for this event. We have communicated this to Mr Robinson via GMP to advise he has no permission to use our land”. But Lennon claims his event is going ahead.

After local voice Lisa Green responded “Well done, here’s hoping he listens..... but then again, this is TR, he doesn’t listen to anyone except himself”, she noted a Telegram account claiming to speak for Lennon had replied to the WCHG statement “Ignore this” and exclaimed “Wow! The arrogance of this man is unreal”.

Madeleine Monaghan added “We have asked him to move to a more suitable venue but he has refused. The Green is surrounded by family homes, narrow roads, children and families, older residents.... And definitely no facilities for large groups of people!” So Lennon has decided he’s going to make a confrontation out of it.

And no surprise there. Ms Green had, in the meantime, got herself up to speed on the Lennon modus operandi: “Tactical. He works knowing he'll be asked to leave. Then uses it as his platform to say everyone is against him having a voice. He uses every senario to his advantage.  If it happens, he gets to blurt out his rhetoric. If he gets denied it's all poor Tommy! No win!”. Got it in one. It will, as usual, be all about him.

Any locals turning up in support will just be used to justify his pleasing himself. It will be framed as Lennon having his right to FREEZE PEACH taken away by THEM. He will be the poor victim. All the residents who don’t want him there will not count, as they will be staying indoors and hoping he goes away without anything kicking off.

And there’s likely to be more than a month of this in the run-up to the European Parliament poll. Just so Stephen Lennon can score some more publicity. No change there, then.

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[UPDATE 1710 hours: Lennon has now made the announcement confirming what Zelo Street readers already knew. As Metro has reported, "Tommy Robinson has announced he is standing to be an MEP in the European elections ... The far-right activist, who co-founded the English Defence League, attacked Nigel Farage and his new Brexit Party as he revealed he will be running in the north west region".

And Hope Not Hate is already on his case: you can join their campaign to stop Lennon HERE]