*Personal Statement Regarding My Interview with Tommy Robinson* I can't believe I am having to write another one of these personal statements, but here we are. Given the intense feedback, the personal attacks, and even threats I have received, I feel it is best to address it directly. This is not for supporters of Tommy Robinson. This is written for those who dislike me, dislike my politics, dislike Tommy, and believe he should be blacklisted, never spoken to, never interviewed. It is an appeal to you, to consider that interviews with people you dislike and disagree with are actually more important than the ones you welcome. For close to a decade, I have hosted my podcast and conducted over 1,000 interviews. Those conversations have included presidents, lawyers, journalists, politicians, business leaders, and human rights activists. Despite my own politics being small-c conservatism with a strong bent toward libertarianism, I have always been happy to interview anyone. On the political side, I’ve hosted guests from the Conservatives, Labour, Reform, and the SDP. I’ve actively tried to bring more voices from the left on my show, but honestly, they are much harder to secure. Every now and again, the fact that I interview certain people upsets certain people. That is the reality of my job. But here are the principles I will not compromise on: free press, free journalism, and free speech. Without those, everything else falls apart. When your job is to interview, it means at times you sit down with controversial figures. And I would argue those interviews are often the most important. If you disagree with someone, especially if you think they are dangerous or wrong, then surely you should want to hear what they say and have them questioned in public. Suppressing controversial voices doesn’t make them go away, it just drives them underground. Now, let’s deal with the obvious: Tommy Robinson. You may hate him. Many people do. But for others, he is a hero, a man who speaks up for working-class communities who feel ignored by the establishment. He has always said his mission is to stop the spread of extremism, particularly radical Islam. He has been vocal about the rape and abuse of young girls in this country, long before the media and politicians acknowledged the scale of it. He was called a racist for raising the issue. Today, after the Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford scandals, it is clear he was telling the truth. He was vilified for speaking out about something that the Labour Party itself is now implicated in covering up. On mass migration, whether you agree with him or not, it is undeniably one of the biggest political debates in Britain today. Every major party now has policies to address it. You may support open borders, many do, but Tommy represents those who do not. That is not fringe anymore, it is a national conversation. And to those who insist on labelling him a racist, let me share what I personally witnessed: on the way to my studio, Tommy was stopped by a Sikh man who thanked him and said he was proud to be British, does not like where the country is headed and thanked Tommy for what he is doing. Tommy embraced him, listened to him, and showed him respect. That is not the behaviour of a racist. When he founded the EDL, it was open to all backgrounds, because its focus was on countering radical Islam, not skin colour. And remember, he grew up in Luton, the town that produced the 7/7 bombers. His life experience is not mine. I had a comfortable middle-class upbringing in Bedford; he grew up on a working-class estate in a town deeply affected by extremism. Those experiences shape people. You don’t have to agree with him, but you do have to understand where he comes from. Even if you could point to evidence that Tommy was a racist, and I don’t believe he is, an interview with him would still be valid. Not to condone, but to confront. I am sure people will search far and wide to find examples of Tommy acting divisive, or even to try and prove he is a racist. Do I think he is perfect? No. He’s a working-class lad from Luton, not a university-educated politician with a polished PR team behind him. He speaks plainly, sometimes bluntly, but he is also someone who has spent years fighting for the version of Britain he believes in, a country that protects its people, its culture, and its future. And whether you like it or not, Tommy Robinson is relevant. He is influential, his popularity is growing, and people will interview him. Suppressing speech does not work in a free society. In fact, rejecting suppression is what makes a society free. Since announcing this interview, I’ve seen the online pile-on. I’ve been accused of “platforming” Tommy, a term I reject. I don’t “platform” people, I interview them. I’ve been called racist, which is obviously nonsense. You don’t become racist by association. I’ve been called “far-right,” a label that’s now thrown at anyone who expresses any conservative opinion. Want to protect girls from rape gangs? Far-right. Want the government to prioritise its own citizens? Far-right. Want safer streets? Far-right. These accusations have been used so recklessly they have lost all meaning. I’ve also received threats against my businesses. Let me be absolutely clear: I am a free speech maximalist, and I don’t respond well to threats. If you don’t want to listen to my show, fine. If you don’t want to drink in my bar or coffee shop, fine. If you don’t want to support my football club, fine. These are all choices you are free to make. But nothing will stop me from doing my job, which is to interview people, good, bad or controversial. I know I have become a controversial figure myself, especially in Bedford. My efforts to improve the town such as including introducing private security, which has been an overwhelming success, have been attacked by a small, loud minority. They question my motives, my politics and express absolute hatred towards me. Despite investing hundreds of thousands of pounds into local projects, sports, and children’s initiatives, I remain a target for some. So be it. You can’t please everyone. So back to the interview. I conducted it in my way, as I have done for over 1,000 episodes, friendly, welcoming, and open. I am not Jeremy Paxman; I don’t try to “catch people out.” I let my guests speak, show themselves for who they are, and leave it to my audience to decide. Do I think Tommy is a racist? No. I used to. I called him a racist myself based on what the media told me. Then I did my research and I believe I called it wrong. Do I think he has, at times, been associated with people who are? Yes. That’s why he walked away from groups like the BNP and ultimately the EDL, because they became too extreme. And here is the bottom line: anyone who thinks I should pull this interview or dictate who I am allowed to speak to has weaker principles than I do. It is exactly this kind of cowardice that allowed the mass rape of young girls in this country to go on for years, covered up in the name of “not offending communities.” When you don’t confront hard issues, you allow evil to thrive. As George Orwell said: “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” My interview will be released as planned. I will not bend to pressure from people who want to suppress information and speech and I accept all the consequences of this. But know this, when they come for your speech, even if you are against everything I stand for, I will be at the front of the line defending your freedom.(Peter McCormack 🏴‍☠️🇬🇧🇮🇪)