Independent European parliamentary candidate Tommy Robinson’s campaign has been banned from using the Stripe payment processor.
Robinson’s campaign has stated that this is a blatant case of campaign interference.
A letter to Stripe from his lawyer Ron Coleman, which was provided to the Gateway Pundit, explains that two accounts connected to Robinson (whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) were banned from the service this week. It says that the accounts for VoteTommy and TROnline were both terminated on the ground that his business violated Stripe’s Services Agreement, section A.7.b, “restricted businesses and activities.”
“Tommy’s campaign and fundraising are entirely lawful under both UK and EU law. Tommy has complied with all legal requirements for registering as an official candidate and he will be on the ballot in the EU Parliament election on May 23rd,” the letter explains. “No other candidate has been deprived of service by Stripe in this election, to our knowledge. The loss of the VoteTommy Stripe account for campaign-related fundraising mere days before the vote is seriously hindering Tommy’s ability to participate in the democratic process by which EU voters choose who will represent them in the EU Parliament. Yet the Stripe Services Agreement does not appear to prohibit any activity that would apply to Tommy, his campaign or their activities. For this reason, it is difficult to understand Stripe’s drastic actions.”
Coleman went on to say that he presumes Stripe has “no intention of interfering in the EU electoral process by using its online service to ‘vote’ against a lawful candidate or to hamper EU voters’ right to hear from every candidate.”
The campaign was also recently deplatformed on Twitter after being flagged by a Muslim organization called Tell MAMA UK, whose website states that their aim is “tackling anti-Muslim hatred” and working with Central Government “to raise the issues of anti-Muslim hatred at a policy level.” They boast that their work “helps to shape and inform policy makers.”
Last May, Robinson was arrested for contempt of court while filming outside the trial of a Pakistani grooming gang in Leeds, as the case was under a reporting ban. The arrest and same-day imprisonment led to thousands of people going out in the streets to protest. Though the charges were overturned and he was released, the UK has decided to try the case again.
His trial is due to begin on July 4, the first day he would be in office — should he win the election.
Robinson has now vowed that if he wins he he will donate his MEP salary to help victims of grooming gangs.
Robinson’s campaign website states, “if you elect me to the European Parliament, I’ll represent you, the working class of England. Whether it’s enforcing our borders and cutting back on immigration, or taking back our national sovereignty to make British decisions in Britain, or fighting to preserve our national identity against Islamification, I’m on the side of the people. Right now, only 4% of our MPs are working class and it shows.”
