Shropshire Star

Tommy Robinson among high-profile candidates who failed to become MEPs

Journalist Rachel Johnson and YouTuber Carl Benjamin also missed out on seats.

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Tommy Robinson

Former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson has failed in his bid to get elected to the European Parliament.

Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, came in eighth place in the North West England region with 38,908 votes.

The far-right activist is a political adviser to the current Ukip leader Gerrard Batten.

Journalist Rachel Johnson, whose brother Boris – the former Foreign Secretary – is running to be Conservative Party leader, did not get elected as a Change UK candidate.

Change UK finished in seventh place in South West England with 46,612 votes, which meant no candidates for the new party were elected.

YouTuber Carl Benjamin, who was second on Ukip’s South West regional list, also failed to get elected.

Mr Benjamin was surrounded in controversy throughout the campaign for comments he made about Labour MP Jess Phillips.

Carl Benjamin stood for Ukip
Carl Benjamin stood for Ukip (PA)

The 39-year-old who styles himself online as the “Sargon of Akkad” said he “wouldn’t even rape” the Labour MP and refused to apologise for the remarks.

In the South West, Ukip received 53,739 votes which meant the party lost its two MEPs there, down 29.07% on the 2014 vote.

Former Labour cabinet minister Lord Adonis also lost his bid to become an MEP in the South West region.

The Labour Party lost their only seat in the South West region, as the party polled fifth with 108,100 votes, down 7.26% on the 2014 vote.

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