WATCH: Commons speaker John Bercow in furious tirade at 'loathsome, obnoxious, repellent' Tommy Robinson
2 min read
Commons speaker John Bercow today launched a furious tirade at far-right activist Tommy Robinson, branding him a “loathsome, obnoxious, repellent individual”.
The top parliamentary official was pulled into the row after the EDL co-founder made a surprise appearance in the Palace of Westminster.
It emerged last night that the anti-Islam activist enjoyed a lunch in the House of Lords courtesy of Ukip peer Lord Pearson, shortly after leaving a court hearing about contempt charges against him.
SNP MP Stewart McDonald raised the issue in the Commons today as he called Mr Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - a “violent racist thug and fraudster”.
He argued: “Such a person shouldn’t be invited to walk amongst us on the parliamentary estate.”
Mr Bercow responded: “I share his assessment of the individual concerned.
“A loathsome, obnoxious, repellent individual. And I make no bones about my view being the same as his on that front.”
However, the speaker noted that he could not comment on whether the House of Lords should have permitted Mr Robinson to visit the estate.
Labour MP LLoyd Russell-Moyle told PoliticsHome: "The views of Tommy Robinson and the man himself have no place in Parliament. He’s a convicted fraudster and thug whose belief system is manifestly racist."
He added: "As for Lord Pearson he’s got a long record of making his own extreme statements and if there was ever a lesson against life-time appointments it’s Baron Pearson of Rannoch.
"The fact the British taxpayer has had to pay for him to be dining a right-wing extremist in the House of Lords is nothing short of an outrage.
"The both of them belong on the fringes of British society and not in our nation's parliament."
Mr Robinson faces a possible jail term for contempt of court after he filmed outside the Huddersfield grooming trials.
He has already spent time in jail but appealed against his sentence and was freed in August. Now Attorney General Geoffrey Cox is set to decide his fate.
According to the Sun, Mr Robinson enjoyed a three course silver service lunch over two and a half hours, during which expensive wine flowed in the Barry Room under the Lords chamber.
The Lords Speaker and Mr Robinson have been approached for comment by PoliticsHome.
