It’s no longer possible to deny the prominence that nationalist activist Tommy Robinson has. His celebrity status has built up over a significant period of time. It shows an undercurrent of political activity that is unrecognised by the formalities of Parliament and pageantry.
The international notoriety of Robinson and his crew has only enlarged itself in spite of repeated legal convictions. He’s not containable by newsprint and his public rallies are still held in central London where it matters.
The message he’s got is controversial to moderates. His ‘followers’ – as they’re often called – are made up of different localities across the UK, from a spectrum of those either apolitical or unhappy with the trajectory of their party of choice. They revel in the enablement of Robinson’s own brand politics.
Now he’s the UK’s open secret, there’s a need to clarify all the events that get booked on UK streets, to either introduce fixes to nightmares in public services that are raised as issues, or to dispel a myth that it’s legitimate to deploy crowds as part of the political process itself.