'Disgraceful': Complaint lodged to Kildare County Council over rep's appearance at controversial UK rally
Newbridge-based Cllr Tom McDonnell also urged US President Donald Trump to ‘do something’ for Ireland
A formal complaint has been lodged to Kildare County Council (KCC) over one local representative's appearance at a controversial UK rally over the weekend.
Social Democrats councillor Chris Pender, who represents the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD), has revealed that he has submitted an ethics complaint in relation to Independent Cllr Tom McDonnell, who also represents the MD.
Cllr Pender’s decision follows after Cllr McDonnell was spotted in attendance at the Unite the Kingdom rally, which gained controversy due to the fact that it was largely organised by English far-right figure Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson.
At this event, Cllr McDonnell notably gave a speech expressing his concerns about the state of immigration in Ireland, and presented a letter addressed to US President Donald Trump.
Referring to the letter, which he claimed was given to him ‘by the elders of Ireland’, Cllr McDonnell urged Trump to ‘do something’ for Ireland.
He also alleged that when he was first elected back in the 2024 Local Elections, he was ‘attacked by the media’ for waving the Irish flag.
Moreover, he asserted to the crowd: ‘The threat [to the UK and Ireland] is Islam.”
Similarly, Cllr McDonnell made headlines last month when he walked out of the April meeting of the Kildare-Newbridge MD over what he claimed was a lack of support from his fellow 'left-wing' councillors.
He was in attendance at the latest Kildare-Newbridge MD meeting, which took place earlier today, and stayed for the full duration of the meeting.
‘THIS CANNOT BE IGNORED’
Taking to social media to call out Cllr McDonnell, Cllr Pender announced that he had submitted a complaint relating to his presence at the Unite the Kingdom rally.
Explaining what exactly he took issue with, Cllr Pender said: “I have gone back and forth about what to say about this, because I do not like giving this kind of thing more attention.
“But honestly, this cannot be ignored; a sitting Kildare county councillor travelled to London, stood on that stage, posed with Tommy Robinson, and reportedly spoke about immigration, ‘mainly Muslims’, and Ireland and the UK needing to ‘unite our flags’.
Cllr Pender claimed that what Cllr McDonnell did at the rally was ‘beyond embarrassing; it is disgraceful and it is dangerous.’
He also pointed out that Mr Yaxley-Lennon / Robinson was the former leader of the far-right group known as the English Defence League (EDL).
“He [Mr Yaxley-Lennon / Robinson] is the co-founder and former leader of the EDL; his politics are based on fear, division, and hostility towards migrants and minorities,” Cllr Pender elaborated. “That is who Cllr McDonnell chose to stand beside; that matters.”
Cllr Pender, who is openly gay, also alleged that he had previously submitted formal complaints about language and conduct from Cllr McDonnell which he believed was ‘homophobic’, ‘racist’ and ‘misogynistic’.
He further said: “Newbridge is not this; Kildare is not this.”
ACTION DEMANDED
One community group based in Newbridge, Newbridge For All, has also taken issue with Cllr McDonnell — it has called for all councillors representing the MD ‘to demand action from the KCC Ethics Committee and investigate Tom McDonnell’s conduct’.
“We further call on all councillor to withdraw all cooperation with Cllr McDonnell in their functions as councillors,” the group added.
Another rep for the MD who took issue with Cllr McDonnell’s comments and appearance at the rally was Fianna Fáil Cllr Rob Power.
He told the Leinster Leader that councillors are bound by a Code of Conduct ‘that requires dignity, equality and respect’.
However, Cllr Power alleged that Cllr McDonnell’s behaviour at the rally ‘falls well short of that standard’.
Cllr Power also asserted that he will be discussing Cllr McDonnell’s actions with his fellow councillors and that he will be ‘considering [the] appropriate next steps’.
‘BEYOND DISGRACEFUL’
In addition, a Sinn Féin activist based in Newbridge, James Stokes, called out Cllr McDonnell in a statement seen by the Leader.
Mr Stokes, a self-described ‘Irish Republican’ and a member of the Travelling Community, in particular took issue with Cllr McDonnell’s association with Mr Yaxley-Lennon / Robinson.
“Tommy Robinson is not some harmless social media personality,” he explained. “He is the former leader and co-founder of the EDL, an organisation synonymous with racism, division and anti-Irish sentiment.”
“This is a man who actively campaigned against the prosecution of British soldiers involved in the killing of innocent Irish men and women during the conflict in the North.
“For any Irish elected representative to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, smiling for selfies, is beyond disgraceful.”
Mr Stokes, who similarly ran in the 2024 Local Elections, also pointed to the former EDL leader’s criminal record: “Tommy Robinson has convictions for assault, passport fraud and mortgage fraud.”
He emphasised his view that Irish republicanism is about ‘standing for justice, sovereignty and the victims of British state violence’.
Mr Stokes concluded by calling on Cllr McDonnell ‘to the people of Kildare why he felt comfortable aligning himself with a far right figure whose politics are rooted in division, anti-immigrant rhetoric and support for British nationalism’.
Cllr McDonnell was contacted by the Leader for comment in relation to the criticisms.
However, he did not respond in time for publication.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme