London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Dec 10, 2025

Church of England launches investigation after clergyman calls fans of WWII hero Captain Tom a ‘CULT OF WHITE BRITISH NATIONALISM’

Church of England launches investigation after clergyman calls fans of WWII hero Captain Tom a ‘CULT OF WHITE BRITISH NATIONALISM’

The Church of England is investigating one of its clergymen after he posted a Twitter message smearing fans of WWII veteran Captain Tom Moore, who died this week of Covid-19, as being part of a “cult of white British nationalism.”

The Rev. Jarel Robinson-Brown tweeted on Wednesday that he wouldn’t be taking part in a national clap to honor Moore, who died at the age of 100 after raising nearly 33 million pounds for the National Health Service in a funds-raising walk. “The cult of Captain Tom is a cult of white British nationalism,” Robinson-Brown said. “I will offer prayers for the repose of his kind and generous soul, but I will not be joining the national clap.”

The tweet was later removed amid a public backlash, demonstrating that there’s apparently still some limits on the acceptable bounds of bigoted wokeness. Robinson-Brown apparently deleted his Twitter account, which he had called “black prophetic fire.” Robinson-Brown issued an “unreserved apology for the insensitive timing and content of my tweet regarding the clap for Captain Tom.”

The Diocese of London said a review of the clergyman’s actions is underway, as the church expects its representatives to ensure their online activities are in line with its guidelines and “built on truth, kindness and sensitivity to others.” Removing the tweet and apologizing “does not undo the hurt he has caused, not least to Captain Tom’s family,” the diocese said on Thursday, but it added, “Nor do Jarel’s actions justify the racist abuse he is now receiving.”

However, people angered by Robinson-Brown’s message said it was he whose words were racist. “This man is a bigot and should not be a representative of the church or anything else, for that matter,” conservative commentator Patricia Page said. She urged people to sign an online petition that has been started calling for the church to fire Robinson-Brown.


The petition had more than 12,000 signatures, rising toward its extended goal of 15,000, as of around 9:30pm London time on Thursday.


Radio host Ian Collins called Robinson-Brown “a race-baiting fool” and said the simple act of displaying “British decency” triggered the clergyman’s hatred.


Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for Wednesday evening’s clap for Moore as a way to honor both the WWII veteran and the NHS workers for whom he raised money. Moore was so popular that at least 10 petitions were started calling for a state funeral. Others have called for erecting a statue in his honor or for burying him at Westminster Abbey.

Robinson-Brown, 29, listed such interests as “liberation theology” and “queer theology” in his since-deleted Twitter bio. The self-described “activist” said he was “passionate about issues of justice, particularly in the areas of race and sexuality.”

The clergyman reportedly has a history of controversial comments, including calling Britain’s honours system a tribute to “white supremacy” and making a reference to “ignorant white Christian men.” Robinson-Brown also once wished “a blessed Sunday to everyone except Boris (Johnson), Priti (Patel, home secretary) and all other oppressors.”

He said last month that the current UK government wants poor and homeless people to die from the pandemic. In November, when Jamaica was struck by tropical storms, Robinson-Brown said Jamaicans should “build a device to direct all the floodwater to Britain tbh because these landslides and severe flooding are the legacy of colonialism and poor infrastructure.” Even amid the backlash over his “Cult of Captain Tom” tweet, he “liked” a post saying that “if it’s going to come as a shock every time a priest says people shouldn’t worship false idols, we’re going to run out of pearls to clutch at pretty soon.”

Nevertheless, despite his penchant for controversy, Bishop of London Sarah Mullally last month appointed Robinson-Brown to serve in a prestigious post at the parish of All Hallows-by-the-Tower, an ancient church in the City of London, the Sun newspaper reported.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Officials Push Back at Trump Saying European Leaders ‘Talk Too Much’ About Ukraine
UK Warns of Escalating Cyber Assault Linked to Putin’s State-Backed Operations
UK Consumer Spending Falters in November as Households Hold Back Ahead of Budget
UK Orders Fresh Review of Prince Harry’s Security Status After Formal Request
U.S. Authorises Nvidia to Sell H200 AI Chips to China Under Security Controls
Trump in Direct Assault: European Leaders Are Weak, Immigration a Disaster. Russia Is Strong and Big — and Will Win
"App recommendation" or disguised advertisement? ChatGPT Premium users are furious
"The Great Filtering": Australia Blocks Hundreds of Thousands of Minors From Social Networks
Mark Zuckerberg Pulls Back From Metaverse After $70 Billion Loss as Meta Shifts Priorities to AI
Nvidia CEO Says U.S. Data-Center Builds Take Years while China ‘Builds a Hospital in a Weekend’
Indian Airports in Turmoil as IndiGo Cancels Over a Thousand Flights, Stranding Thousands
Hollywood Industry on Edge as Netflix Secures Near-$60 Bln Loan for Warner Bros Takeover
Drugs and Assassinations: The Connection Between the Italian Mafia and Football Ultras
Hollywood megadeal: Netflix acquires Warner Bros. Discovery for 83 billion dollars
The Disregard for a Europe ‘in Danger of Erasure,’ the Shift Toward Russia: Trump’s Strategic Policy Document
Two and a Half Weeks After the Major Outage: A Cloudflare Malfunction Brings Down Multiple Sites
UK data-regulator demands urgent clarity on racial bias in police facial-recognition systems
Labour Uses Biscuits to Explain UK Debt — MPs Lean Into Social Media to Reach New Audiences
German President Lays Wreath at Coventry as UK-Germany Reaffirm Unity Against Russia’s Threat
UK Inquiry Finds Putin ‘Morally Responsible’ for 2018 Novichok Death — London Imposes Broad Sanctions on GRU
India backs down on plan to mandate government “Sanchar Saathi” app on all smartphones
King Charles Welcomes German President Steinmeier to UK in First State Visit by Berlin in 27 Years
UK Plans Major Cutback to Jury Trials as Crown Court Backlog Nears 80,000
UK Government to Significantly Limit Jury Trials in England and Wales
U.S. and U.K. Seal Drug-Pricing Deal: Britain Agrees to Pay More, U.S. Lifts Tariffs
UK Postpones Decision Yet Again on China’s Proposed Mega-Embassy in London
Head of UK Budget Watchdog Resigns After Premature Leak of Reeves’ Budget Report
Car-sharing giant Zipcar to exit UK market by end of 2025
Reports of Widespread Drone Deployment Raise Privacy and Security Questions in the UK
UK Signals Security Concerns Over China While Pursuing Stronger Trade Links
Google warns of AI “irrationality” just as Gemini 3 launch rattles markets
Top Consultancies Freeze Starting Salaries as AI Threatens ‘Pyramid’ Model
Macron Says Washington Pressuring EU to Delay Enforcement of Digital-Regulation Probes Against Meta, TikTok and X
UK’s DragonFire Laser Downs High-Speed Drones as £316m Deal Speeds Naval Deployment
UK Chancellor Rejects Claims She Misled Public on Fiscal Outlook Ahead of Budget
Starmer Defends Autumn Budget as Finance Chief Faces Accusations of Misleading Public Finances
EU Firms Struggle with 3,000-Hour Paperwork Load — While Automakers Fear De Facto 2030 Petrol Car Ban
White House launches ‘Hall of Shame’ site to publicly condemn media outlets for alleged bias
UK Budget’s New EV Mileage Tax Undercuts Case for Plug-In Hybrids
UK Government Launches National Inquiry into ‘Grooming Gangs’ After US Warning and Rising Public Outcry
Taylor Swift Extends U.K. Chart Reign as ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ Hits Six Weeks at No. 1
250 Still Missing in the Massive Fire, 94 Killed. One Day After the Disaster: Survivor Rescued on the 16th Floor
Trump: National Guard Soldier Who Was Shot in Washington Has Died; Second Soldier Fighting for His Life
UK Chancellor Reeves Defends Tax Rises as Essential to Reduce Child Poverty and Stabilise Public Finances
No Evidence Found for Claim That UK Schools Are Shifting to Teaching American English
European Powers Urge Israel to Halt West Bank Settler Violence Amid Surge in Attacks
"I Would Have Given Her a Kidney": She Lent Bezos’s Ex-Wife $1,000 — and Received Millions in Return
European States Approve First-ever Military-Grade Surveillance Network via ESA
UK to Slash Key Pension Tax Perk, Targeting High Earners Under New Budget
UK Government Announces £150 Annual Cut to Household Energy Bills Through Levy Reforms
×