Tommy Robinson has sparked fresh controversy after travelling to Moscow and allegedly declaring that “Russia is not the enemy of Britain” while appearing alongside Elon Musk’s father.
The far-right activist was filmed with Errol Musk in what appeared to be the bar of a luxury Moscow hotel just days after encouraging supporters to join protests across Britain following unrest in Belfast.
In the video, Robinson is seen sitting alongside the South African businessman while praising Russia and dismissing concerns about the Kremlin’s hostility towards the West.
“Russia is not the enemy of Britain,” Robinson said.
The footage is understood to have been filmed at Moscow’s prestigious Metropol Hotel, one of the Russian capital’s most famous luxury establishments, where rooms can cost hundreds of pounds per night.
The appearance is likely to fuel criticism of Robinson’s increasingly public association with figures sympathetic towards Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Robinson has previously expressed admiration for Russia and has appeared in interviews linked to pro-Kremlin circles. He was interviewed by the Brotherhood of Academists, a nationalist group founded by Konstantin Malofeev, a Russian oligarch sanctioned by Britain and other Western governments.
The latest Moscow visit comes at a particularly sensitive moment as tensions continue to rise across parts of the United Kingdom following disorder in Northern Ireland.
Earlier this week, Robinson shared messages online promoting demonstrations following the attempted murder charge brought against a Sudanese asylum seeker accused of a knife attack in Belfast.
The whole of the United Kingdom is hitting the streets tonight at 7 pm following yet another invader attack on our people,” one message shared by Robinson stated.
The disturbances in Belfast saw police officers injured, vehicles set on fire and widespread condemnation from political leaders.
Robinson’s appearance with Errol Musk is also notable given the latter’s longstanding admiration for Vladimir Putin.
Mr Musk has previously spoken positively about the Russian president and has made several visits to Russia over the years. In past interviews he has described Putin as a strong leader, comments that attracted criticism from opponents of the Kremlin.
His son, the billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, has repeatedly defended Robinson’s right to speak and has become one of the activist’s most prominent supporters on social media.
When asked why he had travelled to Moscow, Robinson suggested Russia offered lessons for Britain.
I’ve come to see how this country got itself so well on to the straight and narrow and see the beauty of a civilised society here,” he said.
He went further by arguing that Britain’s adversarial relationship with Russia was outdated.
“Russia is not the enemy of Britain. That narrative has long since died a natural death,” Robinson said.
“There are those who benefit from pushing Russia as an enemy but everyone laughs at those people now.”
His comments came just days after another high-profile attack inside Russia, in which a senior figure linked to the Kremlin was reportedly killed in a car bombing near Moscow.
The trip is likely to intensify scrutiny of Robinson’s political messaging and international connections at a time when questions are already being raised about the role of online activists in inflaming tensions surrounding immigration and public disorder in Britain.
Leave a Comment