Jenrick is now straying into far-right territory…
In a tweet yesterday, Robert Jenrick proclaimed that he has been putting up Union Jack flags in his constituency of Newark, in defiance against “Britain-hating” councils.
Meanwhile right-wing media has been lapping up his stunt, with the Daily Mail calling those behind the flag campaign “an army of patriots”.
The shadow justice secretary said put up the flags in response to two councils, Birmingham City Council and Tower Hamlets vowing to remove any flags that appeared as part of ‘patriotism campaign’ Operation Raise the Colours.
On X, Jenrick wrote: “Raise The Colours! While Britain-hating councils take down our own flags, we raise them up. We must be one country, under the Union Flag.”
Now, Hope not Hate has revealed that the co-founder and main organiser behind Operation Raise the Colours is a longtime ally of far-right thug Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon).
Andy Saxon (real name Andy Currien), who was Robinson’s bodyguard when he was head of the English Defence League (EDL), is organising the flag campaign.
Currien was one of six men convicted of violent affray in 2009, following the racist killing of a 59 year old man who was crushed to death by a car.
On his X account, under the name ‘Andy Saxon’, he has asked for donations to Operation Raise the Colours to “help us purchase flags and fuel for our vehicles”.
Hope not Hate has also found that the Nottingham branch of ‘Raise the Colours’ is headed up by another of Robinson’s associates, Guramit Singh.
Leader of Britain First, Paul Golding, has also endorsed the campaign.
This comes after Jenrick was pictured at a protest with former British National Party activist Eddy Butler last weekend.
Last weekend, he attended a protest organised by members of the Homeland Party and was photographed alongside former British National Party activist Eddy Butler.
Jenrick, who was described as “a full-fat subscriber to David Cameron in 2014” by former Tory MP Anna Soubry, has shifted very far to the right of the Conservative party since launching his Tory leadership campaign last July.
He now appears to be moving into far-right territory.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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