Jailed People Smuggler Leads 'Patriotic' Flag Campaign

The 'Operation Raise the Colours' movement, which has been attempting to blanket the country in British and English flags, is reeling from a scandal that has exposed the criminal past of a key organizer. Lee Twamley, a 55-year-old activist and one of the leaders of the group calling themselves 'Churchill's Lions', was revealed to have been jailed in 2016 for smuggling illegal immigrants into the UK. This revelation has sent shockwaves through the movement and intensified a national debate about patriotism, immigration, and hypocrisy, Daily Dazzling Dawn realized.

Twamley, who uses the TikTok handle "Salford T-Bone," has been a vocal opponent of illegal immigration, frequently posting videos where he calls for an end to "small boats" and the "abuse of our kids and women." However, a report from the Manchester news website The Mill and anti-racism group Hope Not Hate revealed that in 2014, he was part of a five-person criminal gang that attempted to smuggle four Vietnamese nationals into the country. He was caught at the French border with the migrants hidden under camping gear in his van and was subsequently sentenced to 20 months in prison.

The public reaction to the news has been swift and unforgiving, with many highlighting the flagrant hypocrisy. A user named 'Mac' on an online forum remarked, "How is it a smear campaign if it is a public record that he was tried and convicted? He's a hypocrite of the first order." Another commenter, 'Forever RedWhiteBlue', noted, "Another criminal fighting criminal immigrants. There seems to be a lot of people on the right who tend to deflect blame." Twamley's bizarre defense—claiming the migrants he smuggled were not coming to "claim benefits or abuse" women and children but were instead destined for illegal cannabis farms—only added fuel to the fire, prompting 'princesskernow' to write, "So it's ok to smuggle illegals in the country to work in illegal weed farms because they don't commit sexual assault, wtf."

Far-Right and Right-Wing Criticism in London The controversy has been particularly potent in diverse areas of London, where the flag campaign has faced significant pushback. In boroughs like Tower Hamlets and Croydon, which have large immigrant populations, the flags have been met with a mix of fear and anger. A lifelong resident of Whitechapel, Mohan Abdul, said he felt "terrified" by the flags, adding, "They are making it quite clear they are racist." In many areas community leaders led the charge to remove the flags, citing concerns about community cohesion, a stance that has been met with condemnation from many on the political right. These critics, while not defending Twamley, have framed the flag removals as an attack on British identity. They argue that these councils, with their large immigrant populations, are caving to pressure from "woke" or "anti-British" elements.

The debate is not limited to the local level. It has become a key battleground in the national culture war. While the Prime Minister has supported the public's right to fly the flag, others, including Labour's Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, have warned that such displays are "seeking confrontation." The public comments reflect this divide. A user named 'Emmaindeed' wrote, "I do not care how many dumb people they roll out to discredit us. The message is a simple one, I don't want to be replaced. The native population of the UK will be a minority by the 2060's and this is simply wrong. We were never asked." Another user, 'Dollylegs', attempted to defend Twamley's past, stating, "Almost 10 years ago ... hes clearly changed his opinion! Is this story aimed at discrediting him?" To this, 'Duchess of Ealing' responded bluntly, "He’s a criminal. Wake up."

The contradiction at the heart of the movement—a leader who profited from the very act he now protests against—has been impossible to ignore. A comment from 'NickelDustEcho' perfectly encapsulates the irony, stating, "Poacher turned gamekeeper then. Laughable how confused the English are. Especially as the saint whose flag they are raising was half Palestinian and half Turkish. You couldn't make it up!" This latest development serves as a stark reminder of the deep divisions over immigration and national identity in the UK.

Source- Daily Mail