UKIP peer Lord Pearson claims that Tommy Robinson could teach Muslims about the Quran

In 'things you definitely didn't think you'd read today or any other day', a UKIP peer has said in all seriousness that he thinks that Tommy Robinson should teach Muslims about the Quran.

Yes, you actually full on read that correctly.

And yes, it's that Tommy Robinson that he's referring to, you know, the far-right activist who founded the English Defence League, which a 2016 research paper called an 'Islamophobic, extremist right-wing group'.

OK - so far, so good.

Former UKIP leader Lord Pearson was invited to speak on LBC to discuss the controversial appointment of Tommy Robinson as special advisor to the party's leader Gerard Batten, which led to the resignation of MEP and former political editor of the Express Patrick O'Flynn.

Pearson, however, seemed far more supportive of Robinson than O'Flynn, saying he'd rather have him in the party, and saying that Robinson is 'a very clever man'.

He is an expert. He is a Quranic expert.

He's co-authored with Peter McLoughlan a really important book on Islam. That is a book which puts the Quran into chronological order.

This is not just a mindless thug. This is a very clever man.

When asked by presenter Tom Swarbrick if there were any Muslim voters who could learn something from Mr Robinson about Islam, Lord Pearson again didn't hold back:

Yes, I think we have to team up with them. There certainly are, yes, because a lot of Muslims don't necessarily go into that sort of detail.

We really haven't much of a hope in standing up to Islam long-term unless we do it, starting now, with our peaceful Muslim friends who have a very different view of Islam.

That has to be the Islam of the future.

The appointment of Robinson as special advisor to Batten on rape gangs and prison reform has even drawn criticism from none other than Nigel Farage himself.

Last week, the Brexiteer said he'd be writing to UKIP's Ruling Executive Committee to demand a vote of no confidence in Batten, saying he's damaging to both Brexit and UKIP.

Mr Batten responded by saying he thinks Robinson is 'courageous'.

When even Farage gets involved in criticism, you know something's gone very, very, very wrong.

HT LBC

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