Did prodigal son ‘Tommy’ leave Rikki waiting at the altar?

NOTE: This article was published on 1 October 2025It was something we awaited with considerable anticipation. Ten days ago, ‘Tommy Robinson’ announced online that the following Sunday (ie three days ago) he would be going to church. That’s right, ‘Tommy Robinson’ in church. “For the first time in years”, he told us. And not just…

NOTE: This article was published on 1 October 2025
Tommy Robinson at 'Unite the Kingdom' 13 September 2025
Tommy Robinson at ‘Unite the Kingdom’ 13 September

It was something we awaited with considerable anticipation.

Ten days ago, ‘Tommy Robinson’ announced online that the following Sunday (ie three days ago) he would be going to church.

That’s right, ‘Tommy Robinson’ in church. “For the first time in years”, he told us.

And not just any church, but his far-right mate Rikki Doolan’s church, the Spirit Embassy in north London.

Rikki Doolan

All this, said Robinson, inspired by the death of Charlie Kirk.

The announcement, viewed by 1.4 million people on X, was met with much clapping of hands and thanking of the Lord on the Christian far right.

Not just from Doolan but from the likes of the batshit preacher himself, ‘Reverend’ Calvin Robinson (no relation).

Tommy Robinson announces he’s off to church

You could almost see them busting out the fatted calf for their prodigal son. Because, let’s face it, sons don’t come any more prodigal than Tommy.

Gravy train

It was not entirely out of the blue. When he was banged up doing his last stretch of jail time we were told he was taking religious instruction from a preacher in the prison.

All part, we assumed, of his preparations to climb aboard that singularly lucrative gravy train that is the nutjob religious far right.

So, you would expect, when it came to pass that Tommy put on his Sunday best and pitched up at Doolan’s ‘Spirit Embassy’ church in Tottenham at the weekend, there would be much celebrating and posting of prayers of thanks online.

Not a prayer

But no. Not a word. Complete radio silence. Not a devotional whisper.

No sign of Tommy at the church.

So we can only surmise that (probably for the same reason he was a no-show at Ben Habib’s launch in Newcastle on Saturday) ‘Tommy’ had found another, probably less spiritually uplifting, way of getting through the weekend. If he was actually back from Panama, that is.

And still they fall for it.


Nick Davies

Nick Davies

To investigate fascists takes real courage and unusual commitment. The government, police, mainstream media occasionally take a look, but in the UK only Searchlight have kept at it, relentlessly and admirably, regardless of threat or obstacle. It’s journalism that matters. A rare thing.

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Multi-award-winning investigative journalist and writer

Peter Hain

Peter Hain, founder of the ANL and friend of Searchlight

British Jews have been persecuted over the centuries; British blacks since the Windrush generation of the 1950s; British Muslims, especially after the Islamist 9/11 and then 7/7 terrorist attacks in New York 2001 and London 2005. But until the last few years there has not been a simultaneous threat against all three British communities of Jewish, Black and Muslim Britons – meaning the need for Searchlight has never been greater.

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Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minster

Paul Holborow

Paul Holborow

In the campaign against the National Front, Searchlight provided a rich and utterly reliable basis for much ANL propaganda – particularly with reference to the two leading NF figures, John Tyndall and Martin Webster. The appearance of Tyndall in full nazi uniform, drawn from the archives of Searchlight, was a key part of ANL propaganda, coupled with deeply damaging nazi quotes from Webster.

Paul Holborow
Founding member of the ANL and National Organiser 1977-81

Alf Dubs

Lord Alf Dubs

Searchlight’s voice is more important than ever, and I am delighted that it will now be available to a wider audience than ever before in its new incarnation online. Searchlight has been extremely helpful over the years in exposing the far right, corruption, criminality and the murky links between organised crime and powerful interests in the UK and abroad. I wish Searchlight the very best.

Alf Dubs
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minister, and Kindertransport child

Professor Colin Holmes

Professor Colin Holmes
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Professor Colin Holmes
University of Sheffield

Paul Nowak

Paul Nowak

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Paul Nowak
TUC General Secretary

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