Skip to main content

Exclusive War widow slams ‘racist’ Tommy Robinson

Lynsey Roberts, whose husband was killed in Afghanistan said: ‘I’ll not be voting for him. There is no place for hate in our world’

THE widow of a soldier killed in Afghanistan has taken a stand against fascist “Tommy Robinson” (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) saying: “I’ll not be voting for him. There is no place for hate in our world.”

She vowed to oppose Mr Yaxley-Lennon’s attempt to become a Euro MP in North West England in elections to the European Parliament this month.

Lynsey Roberts, whose husband, Corporal Andrew Roberts, was killed on active service in Afghanistan on May 4 2012 aged 32, condemned the English Defence League founder as “a racist.”

She said his views were anathema to her and her family and said his claims to have support among military personnel were ridiculous.

Ms Roberts accused him of trying to capitalise on anger and frustration among military veterans over their shoddy treatment at the hands of the government on leaving the armed forces.

Ms Roberts lives in Salford in Greater Manchester with the couple’s three children, Jessica, now 13, Kyle, 12, and Kayla, 10.

On Sunday she was shopping with her children and she saw a crowd carrying placards, including a long-time friend who is a Labour councillor.

She and the children walked over and found the event was an anti-fascist protest against “Tommy Robinson.”

“Jessica and Kyle know about Tommy Robinson,” she said. “We have always been against Tommy Robinson’s views. I have never met the bloke. He makes claims about grooming gangs but I’ve never seen him at the trial of a white paedophile. Everything he does is about the Islamic faith and Muslims. He has no balanced viewpoint — he is racist.

“I support that it [grooming] should be talked about but it should be a balanced viewpoint, and he’s never outside the trial of a white paedophile.

“There’s no place for racism.

“Since Andrew died I have sponsored children in Afghanistan so that my children could have an understanding of it. We’ve done that for the last seven years so that the children have a better understanding of life.

“It was very important for me that my children do not feel hatred towards people just because they are from that country or have that religion.

“Andrew was like everybody’s best friend. When he was in Afghanistan and Iraq he used to get me to send over clothes that they had grown out of to give to children over there. Quite a lot of soldiers do that. It’s not uncommon.”

On Mr Yaxley-Lennon’s claims to have support in the military, Ms Roberts said: “You couldn’t have racism in the military. They have to trust each other. There is no place for racism in the military. My husband died next to a Fijian soldier in his regiment in Afghanistan. He was from Fiji and he was black.

“I think Tommy Robinson has capitalised on the case of Soldier F [a former soldier facing a murder charge over his role in the Bloody Sunday shootings in Ireland], and there have been others.

“Veterans feel let down particularly over mental health support. My husband had problems with that and Tommy Robinson has capitalised on it.

“I’ll be voting against Tommy Robinson. I’m not sure what other involvement I’m going to have. I’ve only just met Nahella [North West Stand Up To Racism organiser] this week, but if there is stuff we can do to help I will do it.

“But I have to be mindful of the children. There was the milkshake incident in Warrington and punches were thrown there. I can’t take my children to anywhere where there’s going to be violence. But I’ll do anything needed to put over a different viewpoint.”

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today