Top dog-whistler: Tommy Robinson and Britain’s far right
The Intelligence from The Economist
The Economist
4.5 • 3.7K Ratings
🗓️ 15 May 2026
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Tommy Robinson is an influencer who has shaped views on Britain, particularly among his American supporters and funders. A rally this weekend will show how his worldview is reaching the mainstream. A merger in the oligopoly of liftmakers will reshape an industry known for its ups and downs. And remembering Raghu Rai, whose photographs captured the intensity of India’s people.
Watch extended clips from Insider here.
Guests and host:
- Georgia Banjo, Britain correspondent
- Simon Wright, industry editor
- Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
- Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
- Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Topics covered:
- Tommy Robinson, Britain’s far right, America’s far right
- Lifts, mergers, business
- Raghui Rai, India, photojournalism
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Economist. |
| 0:09.8 | Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. |
| 0:12.9 | I'm Jason Palmer. |
| 0:14.1 | And I'm Rosie Bloor. |
| 0:19.3 | Today on the show, an uplifting merger in the elevator industry and a tribute to Rahurai, India's most famous photojournalist. |
| 0:26.6 | First up, though. |
| 0:44.8 | The stream is live. Let's go. |
| 0:50.6 | It's really been quite the year for Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the far-right activist, better known to many as Tommy Robinson. |
| 0:57.0 | Georgia Banjo is a Britain correspondent for the economist. Live streaming from his car in San Diego, he described the previous 12 months. |
| 1:02.0 | I was on solitary confinement this time last year. I've come out, we've had a million on the streets. |
| 1:07.0 | I'm here meeting highest ranking members of government. We're spreading our message. |
| 1:11.6 | We're forming partnerships and friendships. |
| 1:16.7 | Robinson had spent time in prison because he'd been found in contempt of court for repeatedly |
| 1:21.9 | libeling a Syrian schoolboy. |
| 1:24.4 | And that claim that he brought a million people onto the streets, that was for a rally |
| 1:28.8 | in London last September. They'd please say it was 150,000. During that event, he beamed Elon Musk onto |
| 1:40.2 | giant screens to give a speech. The essence of democracy is it should be a government |
| 1:46.6 | for the people, by the people. |
| 1:49.2 | And in fact, this is a government against the people |
| 1:53.5 | and not for the people. |
| 1:55.1 | This is why everyone has gathered here today |
| 1:57.7 | is something's got to be done. |
... |
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