‘Tommy Robinson is a thug’: Leading UK Jewish groups slam Chikli for hosting far-right firebrand

The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the UK’s Jewish Leadership Council slam Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli for praising anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson as a “courageous leader” and announcing he will host Robinson later this month.

“Tommy Robinson is a thug who represents the very worst of Britain,” the two leading UK Jewish groups say in a joint statement. “His presence undermines those genuinely working to tackle Islamist extremism and foster community cohesion.”

“Minister Chikli has proven himself to be a Diaspora Minister in name only. In our darkest hour, he has ignored the views of the vast majority of British Jews, who utterly and consistently reject Robinson and everything he stands for,” the groups add.

In a post on Friday, Chikli called Robinson “a courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam,” and “a true friend of Israel and the Jewish people.”

The 42-year-old Robinson — whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — has long been a familiar sight at far-right rallies in England, but his influence was thought to be waning after various legal and other woes. In mid-September, however, an anti-immigration protest in central London that he organized drew some 100,000 participants.

He has been vocal in his support for Israel amid the ongoing war against Hamas, and has described himself as a Zionist.

“Tommy Robinson is a thug who represents the very worst of Britain. His presence undermines those genuinely working to tackle Islamist extremism and foster community cohesion. Minister Chikli has proven himself to be a Diaspora Minister in name only. In our darkest hour, he has… https://t.co/BswfB4mXZ6 pic.twitter.com/LZ1rkPFzOe

— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) October 4, 2025