London’s Whitehall echoed with carols today, as Tommy Robinson staged what he called a Christmas revival, complete with hymn sheets and nationalist flags. But beneath the glow of the fairy lights that bedecked his stage, this was just Robinson’s latest grift dressed up in seasonal wrapping paper.
Robinson insists he’s “putting Christ back into Christmas,” but the spectacle looked more like a branding exercise than a spiritual one.
If cynicism had a soundtrack, it might just be Silent Night sung under a St George’s flag, with Robinson plainly struggling with the words and wondering how he was going to stop bailiffs collecting the £103,000 he owes the courts.
Render unto Caesar? Oh, dear me, no…
Converted in prison
Robinson announced his embrace of Christianity when he was banged up for contempt of court last year. We were told he was ‘receiving instruction’ from a pastor in the prison.
We suggested it would be only a matter of time before he launched himself fully into the lucrative grift-world that revivalist Christianity offered. And it came to pass.
Today’s concert was pitched as a joyful reclaiming of Britain’s Christian heritage: “Putting Christ back into Christmas”.
Hundreds not thousands
Yet Robinson’s track record suggests he’s less concerned with theology than with keeping his name in the headlines, and his coffers full.
His September rally drew massive crowds, but today’s turnout was much more modest, numbering hundreds rather than thousands.
Thankfully, church leaders weren’t buying it. The Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, dismissed Robinson’s rhetoric as a “dim culture war” stunt, reminding everyone that Christmas is about peace and goodwill, not political opportunism. It’s hard to argue with that when Robinson’s version of “goodwill” comes packaged with nationalist slogans.
Political atmosphere
Attendees belted out classics like O Come All Ye Faithful, but the atmosphere was unmistakably political. Flags waved, speeches railed against elites, and Robinson positioned himself as the lone defender of Britain’s Christian soul.
It’s a clever trick: wrap far-right talking points in festive cheer, and suddenly you’re not a provocateur, you’re just a guy singing carols. But one who needs your money all the same.
Not a silent night
Of course, not everyone was humming along. Stand Up To Racism staged a counter-protest nearby, where Billy Bragg sang of (genuinely) putting Christ back into Christmas.
Anti- racist songs and chants cut through Robinson’s carols, a reminder that Christmas really isn’t about exclusionary nationalism.
If Robinson was hoping for a silent night, anti-racists made sure it wasn’t quite that.
Is Robinson really trying to save Christmas, or just cashing in on it? One thing’s for sure; in his grubby hands, even the manger can be monetized.
