Tommy Robinson’s recent trip to Russia was covered by Elon Musk’s family foundation, according to the X owner’s father, who has described the far-right activist as a “fine young man”.
Musk has long been a supporter of Robinson, with both men calling for people to take to the streets in response to the knife attack in Belfast.
Last month, Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, posted a video of himself and Musk’s father, Errol, apparently filmed in a Moscow hotel, in which he said: “We are going to go and cause some trouble.” He had shared a list of places were protests were to take place after the stabbing.
Now, speaking to The Guardian, Musk’s father has claimed he “brought him out to Russia.” He said the trip, that included attending an annual Kremlin-backed economic forum, was covered by the Musk Foundation, a philanthropic organisation founded by Elon Musk and his brother Kimbal Musk.
Errol Musk also said Robinson was a “fine young man” and “very hotheaded, but at the same time, he’s learning.”
During Robinson’s visit meetings were held on topics such as Russia’s decline in births, which Musk’s father said Robinson “really got into”, The Guardian reported.
The visit came as Vladimir Putin’s regime has appeared to try and make connections with European far-right figures.
On Robinson’s return to the UK, he claimed he was detained by police at Heathrow airport, and said both his phones had been seized while asking supporters to donate money to support his legal defence.
When asked by The Guardian why he had travelled to Moscow, Robinson said: “I’ve come to see how this country got itself so well on to the straight and narrow and see the beauty of a civilised society here.”
He added: “Russia is not the enemy of Britain. That narrative has long since died a natural death. There are those who benefit from pushing Russia as an enemy but everyone laughs at those people now.”
Errol Musk, who lives in South Africa, explained he discovered Robinson when he was imprisoned for breaching contempt of court order.
