New Ukip leader said jailed Tommy Robinson 'did a hugely courageous thing'
The new leader of Ukip Richard Braine has called Tommy Robinson “courageous” and praised the work that led to his imprisonment.
These comments come as the former English Defence League leader, Robinson, has been convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to nine months behind bars.
Speaking on LBC, Mr Braine said: “I think he has done an extraordinarily courageous thing to bring attention to a vast number of crimes occurring in this country when the police were told to look another way while these crimes went ahead.”
Mr Braine went on to say he did not support Robinson’s actions where he was breaking the law.
LBC interviewer Nick Ferrari asked Mr Braine about the time he confused Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with 7/7 bomb Sidique Khan.
Mr Braine said: “I'm sure your listeners have got better things to talk about."
Robinson is serving nine months for contempt of court after he nearly caused a sex abuse trial to collapse.
He filmed defendants outside Leeds Crown Court during a trial into the sexual exploitation of girls.
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His actions breached a reporting restriction and put in jeopardy other child grooming trials.
The 36-year-old, of Luton, Bedfordshire, live-streamed the footage on Facebook, which was in breach of a reporting ban.
According to Spectator USA, Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is spending 23 hours a day in his cell.
Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, Mr Braine has criticised the “bias” in the media of Brexit reporting.
Mr Braine said he believes the EU federalist class or a “traitor class” who he thinks are conspiring with foreign powers against the people of this country are controlling the media.
He said: “In the last three years we have seen a concerted effort in the media – we’ve seen Geordie Greig installed at the Daily Mail to make sure that it starts to toe the Remainer line.
“The same thing has happened to some extent at the Express and we’ve seen Sir Nick Clegg getting a very, very well-paid job at Facebook to make sure that nobody can get away with saying what they shouldn’t say on Facebook.
“And we are seeing the press being controlled. You have a duty to be impartial and objective as journalists, so do that because the reporting of Brexit has been so biased for so long now.”
Mr Braine has been the leader of UKIP since August 10 and has served as chairman of UKIP West London.
In a ballot of members, the chairman of the party’s West London branch received 53% of the vote , which was more than double that of his closest rival.
