'Tommy Robinson' - let us hope not in Cornwall!

Even the press in Cornwall have been reporting on the fate of 'Tommy Robinson' but many in the Duchy have different views when it comes to this glorification of a criminal and what he really stands for.

Many of us will have watched with interest matters surrounding the arrest and imprisonment of English right wing nationalist, ‘Tommy Robinson’ (who 'borrowed' that name from another football hooligan and who is actually called Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon but who also uses the names Andrew McMaster and Paul Harris). There has certainly been much 'chatter' on social media about the case, much of it ill informed.

Crowds of shaven headed men even attempted to storm Downing Street and bearing a number of St George flags and UKIP banners, so beloved of English racists and nationalists, shouted foul mouthed abuse at police officers.

‘Robinson’ aged 35 years, with previous convictions for assault, fraud, football related violence and a variety of other offences has already served prison time and following a guilty plea to contempt of court, has now been sent inside for 13 months.

A number of Cornish folks will recall when hard line, right wing English nationalists came to Cornwall just a few years ago.

In 2013, an English Defence League (EDL) Branch together with accompanying social media accounts was launched in Cornwall and their members, who turned out to be from the other side of the Tamar, plastered English St George flags and graffiti over local Cornish road signs and place names and deleted any traces of the Cornish language.

These were cleaned off by Council workers and Cornish activists and the English organisation faded away despite the West Briton at the time 'helpfully' (sighs) publishing a large article in which a representative of the English far right political party, the so called 'English Democrats', Robin Tilbrook, declared that Cornish identity was 'dead' and that English nationalism reigned supreme.

Mr Tillbrook has met with a member of the executive of the Russian right-wing group Russky Obraz. Obraz announced that they were in alliance with the English Democrats. Other members of this right wing alliance include Serbian Obraz, 1389 Movement, Golden Dawn, Danes' Party, Slovenska Pospolitost, Workers' Party and Noua Dreaptă, a most charming ensemble!

Thankfully, Mr Tilbrook hasn't been heard of in Cornwall since and despite his pronouncements and the best efforts of his vandalising 'foot soldiers', Cornish identity has continued to grow in its own peaceful, inoffensive, inclusive and persuasive way, firm when necessary but invariably friendly, helped now by the official recognition of the Cornish people as a National Minority with the Cornish language also officially recognised.

Indeed, the last time we witnessed a gathering of Cornish patriots was at Launceston two years ago, when hundreds accompanied by people from all over and their families gathered in protest at the unlawful proposed cross border constituency and when singing and dancing accompanied the protest and when friendly cheers and waves were exchanged with the local police as is the norm here! After all, many police officers in Cornwall proudly sport the Piran flag patch on their uniforms and are part of our distinctive non violent culture.

In Cornwall, we express our patrioism differently for sure.

It can only be hoped that most will see through right wing English nationalism and the likes of ‘Tommy Robinson’ for what it is.

This obnoxious hero of so many English nationalists was already on a suspended sentence for a previous contempt offence in Canterbury last year and had been told in no uncerain terms by a Judge at that time that another offence could land him in jail.

During the most recent contempt proceedings heard before His Honour Judge Marson, ‘Robinson’ was defended by an experienced member of the independent criminal Bar. He may have been offered the duty solicitor at the police station if his chosen solicitor was not available, but in the Crown Court hearing he was advised and represented by a specialist criminal barrister with over 16 years of experience of cases including murder, people-trafficking, serious violence and serious sexual offences. Robinson admitted committing contempt of court by publishing information that could prejudice an ongoing trial as well as breaching reporting conditions and was sent down.

Running around court buildings shouting abuse at defendants during a live trial, live filming defendants and members of the public quite possibly including jurors, entering and exiting court buildings and shreiking about ‘Muslim paedophile gangs’, is not conducive to ensuring a fair and legal trial. And no fair trial means nobody gets justice, be they accused, complainants or the taxpaying public.

More than enough expensive serious criminal trials have collapsed and been declared ‘cracked’ because of the actions of people like ‘Robinson’.

In his crusade against Moslem paedophile rings though, many will find it odd that ‘Robinson’ and his ill assorted collection of fascist cronies, seem to have conveniently forgotten that in February this year, 2018, one of his own ‘colleagues’ Leigh McMillan, long time senior member of the EDL, was convicted at London’s Old Bailey and convicted of three counts of indecent assault, two of indecency with a child and one of attempted rape following a trial in which it was revealed that this so called English patriot had inflicted 100 sexual assaults on a ten year old child over a five year period. For that, McMillan was sent down for 17 years.

We can only hope that in Cornwall, this nasty, criminal and violent English nationalism and its sullied, aggressive and warlike symbols stay completely on the further bank of our 1,000 year old boundary with the country next door.

Kernow bys vyken!

John, Teresa, Craig, Tony, Matt, Mike, Clive, Ronan, Alex & Mark

Elected Members of the KMTU Steering Group