Tommy Robinson’s conviction for harassing two journalists has raised questions about the leadership of Britain’s far right, with another prominent anti-migrant activist also in custody. A jury deliberated for more than 11 hours before finding Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, guilty of harassment causing fear of violence. He is due to be sentenced on 16 December and faces a possible prison term of up to 10 years.
The case at Southwark crown court concerned Daily Mail journalists Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber, who had reported on Robinson’s alleged influence on the 2024 Southend riots. Prosecutors described his actions as intimidation. The reporters had to arrange security or leave their homes. A statement from Young’s daughter described encounters outside the family home with men believed to have been sent by Robinson.
Robinson also acknowledged paying to obtain the personal telephone number of Daily Mail editor Ted Verity. A message left for Verity threatened to make the newspaper’s reporters and their families “famous”. Following the verdict, Robinson’s media channels and sympathetic commentators portrayed the conviction as a miscarriage of justice. Some Reform UK members and Rupert Lowe, the Great Yarmouth MP who leads Restore Britain, also voiced support, with Lowe saying Robinson had been treated unfairly.
Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, is a potential successor to Robinson within the anti-migrant movement. His Patriot Platform organisation has brought masked groups onto streets in Dover and other towns this year. But Thomas is being held ahead of a trial concerning the alleged slashing of a dinghy in the Channel, limiting his ability to assume that role.
Joe Mulhall, research director at Hope Not Hate, said the two men’s circumstances had created a leadership gap with no significant replacement apparent. He expected a fragmented movement of smaller groups to organise separate, improvised actions, which could be more difficult to monitor and police. Other arrests, including those linked to vandalism targeting houses in multiple occupation, have also weakened the anti-migrant movement.
Robinson’s financial backing remains a concern for observers of the far right. He again thanked X owner Elon Musk for funding his legal expenses, telling supporters that a single day at Southwark court had cost £20,000. There is also uncertainty over efforts by Robinson and his associates to encourage supporters to register to vote. Mulhall said Robinson had already struggled to keep pace with Patriot Platform’s emergence and impatience among parts of his support base.
The conviction could also revive disagreements within Reform UK. Nigel Farage responded sarcastically when questioned about the verdict and has changed the party’s policy on allowing members who support Robinson. Richard Tice has previously distanced himself from Robinson, while some Reform members now depict the activist as a martyr.
Sentencing will be decided by Mr Justice Cavanagh. A specialist criminal barrister told the Guardian that threats to the journalists and the hiring of an investigator could indicate high culpability, while a victim’s move from home could place the harm in the most serious category. The barrister also suggested that prison overcrowding might lead the judge to consider a suspended sentence.
