'Pick-up artist' Julien Blanc barred from entering the UK

What has been reported?

Several media outlets earlier claimed that controversial "pick-up artist" Julien Blanc was set to be barred entry to the UK by the Home Office.

The Home Office itself has not confirmed the news directly but Lynne Featherstone, a Home Office minister, has tweeted several links to articles reporting the news and a Sky News reporter has tweeted that she confirmed the news to him.

Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, has also expressed his satisfaction that Blanc will not be granted a visa.

What the Home Office has said

The home secretary [Theresa May] has the power to exclude an individual if she considers that his or her presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good or if their exclusion is justified on public policy grounds.

It is longstanding practice that we do not comment on individual exclusion cases unless they are made public by the excluded individual.

This home secretary has excluded more foreign nationals on the grounds of unacceptable behaviour than any before her.

• Home Office statement

Who is Julien Blanc?

Blanc claims to be an executive coach for Real Social Dynamics, with men reportedly paying up to £1,000 for his "lessons" in how to manipulate women into sex.

His website PimpingMyGame.com explains how he can help men "make girls BEG to sleep with you after SHORT-CIRCUITING their emotional and logical mind".

In one of the Swiss-born American's shows he tells the audience: "In Tokyo, if you're a white male, you can do what you want. I'm just romping through the streets, just grabbing girls' heads."

His methods have been branded as misogynistic and said to promote violence against women - more than 150,000 people have signed a petition asking for him to be banned from the UK.

The 25-year-old's tour of the country was due to start in February, according to the BBC, although several other outlets have suggested he was due in the country for a two-day "seminar" later this month.

Has he been banned from other countries?

Yes. Blanc had his work visa cancelled in Australia earlier this month, with Victoria state's chief of police calling his work "deeply disturbing and offensive".

The Australian immigration minister, Scott Morrison, said: “This guy wasn't putting forward political ideas. He was putting forward abuse that was derogatory to women and those values are abhorred in this country.”

Similar petitions to keep him out of Canada, Brazil, Germany, Japan and South Korea are also said to be ongoing.

More: Why this woman wants to ban Julien Blanc from the UK