Who Is Tommy Robinson?

Imprisoned Brit championed by Elon Musk has poisonous past

[The Editors is called The Editors, plural, not The Editor, singular, for a reason. When I launched it, a shrewd friend advised, “it can’t just be you.” I’m delighted to start including some additional voices. Today’s comes from Michael Mosbacher, who is associate comment editor at London’s Daily Telegraph. He is a past editor of Standpoint and The Critic, having co-founded both British magazines.—Ira Stoll.]

Tommy Robinson at Speakers’ Corner. Credit: Shayan Barjesteh van Waalwijk van Doorn.

Almost instantly, Elon Musk has made himself into one of the most significant figures in British politics, with constant musings on X about the shortcomings of Prime Minister Keir Starmer — his negligence in tackling Pakistani grooming gangs, tax policy and wokery.

Musk has put himself in a conflict not only with Starmer, but also with Nigel Farage and his upstart Reform UK party.

The cause of their rift is what to do about the currently imprisoned anti-Islam street agitator Tommy Robinson, also known by his actual name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Musk portrays him as the brave, solitary voice standing up against the Islamization of Britain and wants him to take a leading role in Reform. Farage, however, won’t countenance him having anything to do with his party.

Who is right, Musk or Farage? Why is Farage so reluctant to involve Robinson in the party, even when rejecting Robinson could cost the Reform party funding from Musk so ample that it could transform the UK political landscape and put Farage into power the way that Musk helped Trump win in the U.S. in 2024?