EDL: The battle that still rages

Matthew Collins - 22 12 14
Eddowes: Hanging in there

Eddowes: Hanging in there

It’s been just over a year since Stephen Lennon (Tommy Robinson) quit the English Defence League (EDL).

Things were not great when he left, they’ve been little better since. Lennon headed off to prison for mortgage fraud soon after, and the running of the organisation fell into the hands of one of Lennon’s most trusted supporters, Tim Abblitt.

Abblitt had shared Lennon’s earlier dream about being a politician eventually, one in the Gert Wilders mould. But being Lennon’s man, he did not fair very well inside the organisation.

The one thing that united what was left of the gang of thugs, was that Abblitt as well as Lennon’s former personal assistant, Hel Gower, would have to go too. Both were still part of a very small and select group known as the “Tommy Robinson support group” and they must be the people responsible for the £1800 that went from the EDL to Lennon while he was locked up.

In February of this year, Steve Eddowes took over from Abblitt. A former bodyguard of both Lennon and former British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin, Eddowes was rather combative in his attempts to remove the last vestiges of Lennon and his supporters and things turned very, very nasty. Eddowes has only appeared at two EDL demonstrations since taking over as leader.

The infighting inside the organisation continues and for the first time since it was formed, it appears that the real power now rests in London-not in the midlands or in the north as it has done previously.

There are now rising stars to contend with and each of them has a very nasty agenda of their own. From Herne Bay, in Kent, comes David Russell. A pirate radio ‘DJ’, Russell has set his sights on the top job in the EDL. He’s popular with the EDL supporters because he does not mind making a complete idiot of himself on YouTube, shouting down the camera about his flaming haemorrhoids, Muslims, the price of fish, etc, etc. He’s such a ranting fool, that Paul Weston even finds him boring.

Bryant and Russell: Knives in the back

Bryant and Russell: Knives in the back

In EDL parlance, being a little “unsettling” as is Russell, is obviously a good thing. Russell has made good ground in his ambitions by becoming good friends with the megalomaniac with the misspelt tattoos, David Bolton. Bolton has tried desperately to keep the EDL together in London, and often offers himself up as a punch-bag on demonstrations in his capacity as head steward.

Another new face with leadership dreams is Kevin Bryant from London, one of the organisers of the planned “all as one” march planned for Dudley next year. The idea of the march is to united thousands of football casuals for the day against the Mosque proposed for the city.

Despite claiming to be a Chelsea fan-and one that wants to unite football hooligans for the day, Bryant has no known links to the Chelsea Headhunter gang. Instead, according to one football hooligan based in Wales, Bryant is relying on his Polish girlfriend who lives with him in London, to organise Polish football hooligans to travel to Dudley! Yes, the EDL does attract dreamers.

Bolton: Wants to be Fuhrer

Bolton: Wants to be Fuhrer

Some of us recall when the EDL did actually have football hooligans in their ranks during the early years. The Bolton “division” ambushed Birmingham EDL at a service station and battered them into submission before relieving themselves on their victims-such is the class of the EDL.

Eddowes is obviously not oblivious to the three great pretenders after his job but seems quite happy with the fact that neither is particularly trusting of the other. Whilst Russell and Bolton are rude about Bryant having a foreign girlfriend (for some reason Russell calls her a “Chinky” behind Bryant’s back), Russell recently went from swearing undying love for Bolton, to his face, and suggesting Bolton should run the EDL- to mouthing off that Bolton had “hippo teeth” to some EDL activists he was visiting last week.

Another two or three of the EDL’s inner sanctum face imprisonment in the New Year. The sparks are already happening as people queue up for another leadership challenge.

SHARE THIS PAGE

Stay informed

Sign up for emails from HOPE not hate to make sure you stay up to date with the latest news, and to receive simple actions you can take to help spread HOPE.

Popular

We couldn't do it without our supporters

Fund research, counter hate and support and grow inclusive communities by donating to HOPE not hate today

I am looking for...

Search

Useful links

                   
Close Search X
Donate to HOPE not hate