A controversial Polish rightwing speaker has cancelled a visit to the UK, after MPs and campaigners urged the Home Office to block his entry to the country due to concerns about hate speech.
Rafał Ziemkiewicz, an author and journalist, has been accused of comparing Muslims to “invaders” and expressing homophobic and antisemitic views.
He was due to speak at events in Bristol, Cambridge and London this weekend but all three events were shut down after MPs and local authorities became aware of the nature of his work.
Ziemkiewicz has since tweeted that he would no longer be coming to the UK, describing Britain as “fascist”. Writing in Polish, he said “in this situation it no longer made sense” for him to visit the UK.
One of the events at which Ziemkiewicz was due to talk, in Acton, west London, on Sunday, was cancelled after Rupa Huq, the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, was alerted to it.
Huq said Ziemkiewicz’s presence was not conducive to good race relations and he was “not welcome on these shores”. Ziemkiewicz accused the MP of defaming him and threatened legal action.
Ziemkiewicz attempted to move his London event to Slough in Berkshire. But the local MP Tan Dhesi wrote to the home secretary, joining other MPs calling for him to be denied entry.