Leader and Deputy quit EDL over fears it's been taken over by extremists

[FruityPops]

They have encouraged others to leave and also for people to leave extreme muslim groups.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/edl-leader-tommy-robinson-quits--over-dangers-of-farright-extremism-8866177.html

Took 'em a while to notice.

Tenner says they want a seat with UKIP

crescent - Why? I don't know anything about them.

Stable door - bolted - horse.

Fruity can you not google? How interesting you know nothing about them but posted anyway.

A link you might find useful

Methinks draws is right and Robinson has ambition for some more mainstream political berth, like being a UKIP candidate, so is toning things right down.

crescent - I think the term "extreme" is misused by the media. One can be "extremely" devout without being an "extremist" who wants to blow people up.

He has got no chance of being associated in anyway whatsoever with UKIP.

I'm glad to hear it claig. Bit barrel-scrapey for them.

So, he's just noticed the violent extremists? How unobservant is he?!

In other news - Gary Lineker quits MotD saying, "I could no longer keep the talk of football at bay".

Rumour is he's only quit the EDL so he can take over as editor of the Mail when Paul Dacre resigns

The life of Brian 'People's front' and 'splitters' keeps coming into my head

I'm in agreement with claig I can't see ukip taking Robinson and I think it would be clash of the egos between Robinson and nick griffin if he joined the BNP

The Far Right splinters CONSTANTLY.

Statement here:

webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?biw=1600&bih=1056&sclient=psy-ab&q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.quilliamfoundation.org%2Fpress-releases%2Fquilliam-facilitates-tommy-robinson-leaving-the-english-defence-league%2F&oq=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.quilliamfoundation.org%2Fpress-releases%2Fquilliam-facilitates-tommy-robinson-leaving-the-english-defence-league%2F&gs_l=serp.3...21954.23042.0.24018.6.6.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....6...1c.1.27.psy-ab..6.0.0.z2ROQHC3z2U&pbx=1

Not clear if there are any ulterior motives at this point, other than no longer wanting to be a twat.

There are conspiracy theories about the EDL. Who set them up, who funded them, how did they get so much publicity and media access etc.?

My guess is that Robinson will possibly say that he supports UKIP and that will harm UKIP's image. UKIP will want nothing to do with him, but the media may give him publicity.

Apparently it already started in the local edctions.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/english-defence-league-backs-ukip-in-local-elections-8562350.html

I expect to see the media giving Robinson much more publicity near the time of the real election where he will explain in detail which party he supports and then UKIP's opponents may say things similar to what some of them said at the local elections

"Last night a senior Labour source said: “Ukip should be ashamed that their rhetoric and policies have such appeal to those on the far-Right who want to stir up hatred.”

Natalie Bennett, the Green Party leader, said: “I think many voters who might have been thinking of voting Ukip as an expression of frustration with the sheer incompetence of this government, or out of a desire for a new economic direction, will now be thinking again as this news gets out.”

She added that Ukip were “not a serious political option”.

The EDL certainly did come from nowhere very quickly.

Yes, and they got lots of media publicity even appearing on national television news channels and debate shows.

Who funds the Quilliam Foundation? They seem very pleased with the publicity, and the BNP seem very pleased about Robinson and Carroll leaving the EDL.

I think that Quilliam is a thinktank and according to wikipedia soem of its funding in the past has come from the government

"In January 2009, The Times published an article claiming that Quilliam had received almost £1 million from the government. The article also said that some "members of the Government and the Opposition" had questioned the wisdom of "relying too heavily on a relatively unknown organisation ... to counter extremism."[24] Quilliam openly acknowledges the funding that it receives from the public sector, and has made its financial records publicly available[25].[26]"

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quilliam_(think_tank)

I thought Quilliam was quite well-known - if you watch Newsnight semi-occasionally you'll have seen them.

Interesting ... not the most obvious bedfellows.

UKIP seems to manage to damage its own image on a regular basis without any help !

I'd wager that Robinson/ whatever his name actually is will be standing in the European Parliamentary elections next year. I don't think UKIP would want him, so perhaps the English Democrats.

Yes and that could possibly be a conspiracy too

UKIP won't take anyone who has been a member of the BNP.
I assume it is the same for anyone who has been in the EDL, but I don't know.

There will be smears against UKIP and attempts to link them with racists as we approach the real election in an attempt to limit their support.