Tommy Robinson’s Spanish U-Turn

After Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who styles himself Tommy Robinson, vanished from the UK and then rocked up in southern Spain, he seemed unequivocal as to what would happen next: there had been some kind of arson attack on his wife’s property, possibly a car, she had had enough, he and the family drove to Spain, a friend had found them somewhere to stay in the short term, and he was looking to make his relocation permanent.

But as he videoed himself after enjoying a game of Padel, Lennon managed to include in the background a canvas sheet at the back of the Padel court which clearly displayed the legend MANOLO SANTANA RACQUETS CLUB. The club, named after the 1966 Wimbledon Mens’ singles champion, is located in the Marbella area. Whoops!

Suddenly, Lennon will have realised that the Costa del Sol, and indeed the Costa Blanca, where rumours also began to circulate that he was looking at properties, are not the best places to relocate oneself if the name of the game is privacy and anonymity. There are an awful lot of Brits out there. And many of them know who he is, even though the effect of his presence would be to make them move in the direction of away.

So it was that he put out another video, which effectively contradicted the impression given in the first video. “Let me just clarify something for the record,” he started, in a tone rather more cautious than before. “I’m not moving abroad. I’m not permanently moving anywhere. I’ve not said I am permanently moving anywhere”. Sounded like it, though.

But do go on. “My home is England. I can see how triggered so many people are … I’ve read lie after lie after lie. One lie is in the Spanish press, that I want to kick all the Spanish out of the UK”. Seen that? No, me neither. Carry on. “Where d’you get that from?” Then, after another pause - unusual for Lennon - he finally gets to the point.

“But, for the record, my home is England [again]. To all those snowflakes who think you got rid of me, no you didn’t. I’ve just had, how shall I put it, family … issues and location issues to deal with that are for my family, not me, which will free myself up for the work I do, even moreso”. Anyone know what he’s on about? And he wasn’t finished. “So to all you snowflakes, I’ll see you very soon, when I’m back in the UK, on the streets of England, doing what I do … have a good one”. Which means what, exactly?

Has he realised that unlike the UK, where he can get yappy with the local cops and still walk away afterwards, arguing with the Guardia Civil - a paramilitary Police force who act first, and consider the niceties somewhat later - would see him cuffed, in the meat van, down the local nick and in the cells in very short order?

Or, more likely, is this some kind of temporary family split, with Lennon’s wife and kids (and, whisper it quietly, maybe assets) parked outside the UK? The house they used to occupy is believed to have been on the market, and may now be in the process of being sold - so there would be funds available to convert into a property in Spain.

I suspect all interested lawyers are already up to speed with that one. Or soon will be.

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