Seven individuals have been banned from entering the UK ahead of a far-right rally in London this Saturday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed. The march, organised by Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom group, is expected to draw over 100,000 people. Starmer said the government is acting to prevent hate and intimidation on the streets.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has used her powers to cancel permission for seven people to enter or stay in the UK for the event. This follows the exclusion of US influencer Valentina Gomez last month, who had threatened to defy the ban. Another US figure, Joey Mannarino, was also blocked, with the Home Office stating his presence would not be conducive to the public good.
Starmer, in a speech aimed at saving his premiership, criticised the politics of division, taking a swipe at Nigel Farage's Reform UK. He said: 'They want more grievance politics, more division, more pointing at Britain’s problems, looking not for solutions, but for someone to blame.' He added that the government would block far-right agitators from travelling to Britain to spread hate.
The Metropolitan Police will impose conditions on the Unite the Kingdom protest, which coincides with a pro-Palestine demonstration marking Nakba Day. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley expressed concern about the scale of the protests and said the force is considering what powers to use. The last Unite the Kingdom rally saw between 110,000 and 150,000 attendees and over 20 arrests.
A Muslim women's group has called for further restrictions, warning that the rally could incite racist and religious hatred. Baroness Shaista Gohir of Muslim Women's Network UK noted that blocked figures could still address the crowd remotely. The Met Police confirmed a significant presence in central London on Saturday, with both marches subject to Public Order Act conditions to prevent serious disruption.
