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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/15/steve-bannon-tommy-robinson-released-from-prison-trump-strategist-lbc-radio-interview
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| Steve Bannon calls for Tommy Robinson to be released from prison | Steve Bannon calls for Tommy Robinson to be released from prison |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Steve Bannon, the former adviser to Donald Trump, has defended the jailed far-right leader Tommy Robinson, saying that he didn’t think he was “a bad guy” and that “he’s got to be released from prison”. | |
| Bannon’s remarks came during an interview with LBC radio’s political editor, Theo Usherwood. | Bannon’s remarks came during an interview with LBC radio’s political editor, Theo Usherwood. |
| In response to Bannon’s comments about Robinson, Usherwood said: “But he broke the law!” To which Bannon replied: “It’s was a highly technical ... a lot of people would say that law is very restrictive.” | In response to Bannon’s comments about Robinson, Usherwood said: “But he broke the law!” To which Bannon replied: “It’s was a highly technical ... a lot of people would say that law is very restrictive.” |
| Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed for 13 months for contempt of court after “breaching the peace” during a grooming trial. The English Defence League founder had broadcast an hour-long video on Facebook of men entering Leeds crown court. In the video he made comments that risked causing a trial to collapse. | |
| The politician-turned-presenter Nigel Farage was also there during the LBC interview and attempted to move the conversation along. He ended the row by saying: “I take the view as well that Tommy broke the law.” | The politician-turned-presenter Nigel Farage was also there during the LBC interview and attempted to move the conversation along. He ended the row by saying: “I take the view as well that Tommy broke the law.” |
| Bannon to me off-air: "Fuck you. Don't you fucking say you're calling me out. You fucking liberal elite. Tommy Robinson is the backbone of this country." | Bannon to me off-air: "Fuck you. Don't you fucking say you're calling me out. You fucking liberal elite. Tommy Robinson is the backbone of this country." |
| After the interview, Usherwood claimed on Twitter that Bannon said to him off-air: “Fuck you. Don’t you fucking say you’re calling me out. You fucking liberal elite. Tommy Robinson is the backbone of this country.” | After the interview, Usherwood claimed on Twitter that Bannon said to him off-air: “Fuck you. Don’t you fucking say you’re calling me out. You fucking liberal elite. Tommy Robinson is the backbone of this country.” |
| In the same interview, Bannon told listeners they were “going to have to fight to take your country back”. | In the same interview, Bannon told listeners they were “going to have to fight to take your country back”. |
| The former strategist to the US president told Farage: “If I was in middle England and said this wasn’t what I voted for I would rise up and make sure the guys in parliament knew it.” | The former strategist to the US president told Farage: “If I was in middle England and said this wasn’t what I voted for I would rise up and make sure the guys in parliament knew it.” |
| He added: “Whether it’s Italy, France, England, or the United States, if we quit, they’re going to be in control.” | |
| When asked whether it was a call to arms, he said: “Absolutely.” | When asked whether it was a call to arms, he said: “Absolutely.” |
| In an interview in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, Bannon said now was the time for Boris Johnson to challenge Theresa May for her job. | |
| His comments came after Trump directly criticised May’s Brexit strategy and heaped praise on Johnson in an interview with the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun newspaper. | His comments came after Trump directly criticised May’s Brexit strategy and heaped praise on Johnson in an interview with the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun newspaper. |
| Bannon was Trump’s 2016 campaign chair and chief White House strategist before leaving the administration last August. His relationship with Trump was adversely affected by the publication of a book, for which Bannon was a major source, about the Trump White House by the author Michael Wolff. Since then Bannon has positioned himself again as a leading voice on the US far right. | Bannon was Trump’s 2016 campaign chair and chief White House strategist before leaving the administration last August. His relationship with Trump was adversely affected by the publication of a book, for which Bannon was a major source, about the Trump White House by the author Michael Wolff. Since then Bannon has positioned himself again as a leading voice on the US far right. |
| Steve Bannon | Steve Bannon |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| English Defence League | English Defence League |
| Theresa May | Theresa May |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| LBC | LBC |
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