Hotel cancels Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk party's event 'on health and safety grounds'

A council-owned hotel has cancelled a launch event for a new political party backed by right-wing activist Tommy Robinson and the billionaire Elon Musk.

Advance UK, led by former Reform deputy Ben Habib, was due to hold a conference in Newcastle on Saturday.

The new party announced the event last month without revealing the venue but it was understood to have been planned to be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the city centre.

In a social media post last month, the party said it had chosen Newcastle, "the symbolic heart of Brexit" and vowed that it "will fight unapologetically for sovereignty, free speech, and restoring pride in our nation".

Following an online protest, the hotel management has cancelled the booking "on health and safety grounds", Newcastle City Council said.

The local authority took over the hotel in March but it is run by a separate company.

A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: "We are aware that hotel management has taken the decision to cancel a forthcoming event scheduled for Saturday September 27 on health and safety grounds.

"As the owner of the hotel, we absolutely support their decision to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff members, guests and visitors to the hotel.

"As in any situation, the safety of all those in our city is our absolute priority."

Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, backed Advance UK in August, writing on X that he wanted a "political home".

Mr Musk replied: "Advance UK will actually drive change.

"Farage is weak sauce who will do nothing."

The group Newcastle Unites, which says on its Facebook page that it is against discrimination, asked the local authority to cancel Advance UK's booking.

Newcastle City Council leader Councillor Karen Kilgour said it was a City of Sanctuary with a history of providing a better life for people fleeing war and persecution.

Regarding the series of protests outside a hotel in the city that have taken place over recent weeks, she said: "The language and rhetoric around asylum too often seeks to dehumanise vulnerable people, families and children.

"But anyone who wants to make a meaningful difference in our city will always be more welcome than those who wish to spread hate and cause division, they do not represent the Newcastle we all know and love, and they are not welcome here."

She added: "I am aware of planned protest activity this weekend.

"Of course, a key pillar of our democracy is the right to lawful protest, and we have no right to prevent such events from taking place.

"We work closely with our partners, including the police, to allow people to protest peacefully and thankfully recent events passed without incident."

Advance UK has been approached for comment.