British far-right figure Tommy Robinson has announced plans to stand in the European elections.

Robinson, the founder of the anti-Islam English Defence League, was recently banned from Facebook and Instagram for repeatedly breaking policies on hate speech.

Facebook said it had taken action because he had been repeatedly “using dehumanising language and calling for violence targeted at Muslims.”

He had already been banned from Twitter for breaching rules on “hateful conduct.”

The 46-year-old, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was last year jailed for 10 months for broadcasting details of a trial that was subject to blanket reporting restrictions.

He was released on bail in August last year.

Elections

He is due to hold an event in Manchester this evening to officially announce his candidacy for the UK’s North West England region which has 8 seats.

The event has already been condemned by faith leaders and politicians in the south Manchester area of Wythenshaw.

"Not welcome"

A statement, signed by Labour MP Mike Kane and a number of religious figures, said Robinson’s “far-right political views are not welcome in our town and our great city.”

“Together, on behalf of our community, we felt it necessary to speak out against his visit,” they wrote.

“We are firm in our belief that violence and racism have no place in our political discourse.

It said Wythenshaw has a welcoming history, adding that “if we were to welcome this man, we’d be dismissing the valued contribution these people have made to the area.”

Brexit

In a post on his election website, Robinson accused UK and EU leaders of “betraying Brexit.”

He said that if he is elected the EU “won’t know what hit them” adding “they’ll long for the days when it was just Nigel Farage.”