A hotel owned by Newcastle City Council has cancelled a planned conference that it is understood would have seen the launch of a new political party backed by Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk. Advance UK, led by ex-Reform co-deputy leader Ben Habib, was due to host the launch event at the Crowne Plaza on Saturday.
However, Newcastle City Council, which took ownership of the hotel in March, has confirmed the event has now been cancelled on “health and safety” grounds in a decision made by hotel management. In August, Robinson – whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon – posted on X to say he was ‘putting his faith’ in Mr Habib and Advance.
Image: Wikipedia
Advance announced plans to launch the party on Saturday in Newcastle in August, although details of the venue were not made public. Speaking at the time, Mr Habib said the party was “rapidly building the ground team needed to fight the next general election”.
A spokesman for the city council said: “We are aware that hotel management has taken the decision to cancel a forthcoming event scheduled for Saturday 27 September on health and safety grounds.
“As the owner of the hotel, we absolutely support their decision to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff members, guests and visitors to the hotel. As in any situation, the safety of all those in our city is our absolute priority.”
Mr Habib announced he would form a new political party after leaving Reform in November 2024 following a reported row with party leader Nigel Farage and chairman Zia Yusuf. In August, controversial billionaire Elon Musk declared his support for the party via X.
The Observer has reported that Advance was listed as a sponsor of former English Defence League (EDL) leader Yaxley Lennon’s rally in London earlier this month, branded “Unite the Kingdom”. The cancellation of the Newcastle launch follows a string of protests outside a hotel housing refugees in the city.
Addressing the boarder protest activity which has been ongoing in the city in recent months, City council leader Karen Kilgour said: “Our city’s proud reputation for offering a warm Geordie welcome is hard earned. We’re a city that looks out for one another, that celebrates diversity and inclusivity, and supports each other when times are hard.
“What we won’t stand for is racism, hatred or discrimination in any form. These abhorrent traits are entirely at odds with the values of our city, and anyone engaged in such criminality can expect the appropriate response if that’s what they seek to bring to Newcastle. Hate will not win here.
“Newcastle is a proud City of Sanctuary with a history of providing refuge and a chance of a better life to people who have fled wars, persecution and other atrocities around the world.
Image: Newcastle City Council
“Everyone who lives in this city will likely know someone who has migrated here from abroad. They are doctors, nurses, teachers, lawyers, carers, engineers, hospitality workers, business owners.
“They are our neighbours, friends and members of our communities. They may once have sought asylum, and have since contributed to making the North East an even more amazing place to live.
“The language and rhetoric around asylum too often seeks to dehumanise vulnerable people, families and children. But anyone who wants to make a meaningful difference in our city will always be more welcome than those who wish to spread hate and cause division – they do not represent the Newcastle we all know and love, and they are not welcome here.
“I don’t underestimate the strength of feeling that exists both here and elsewhere about the nature in which asylum seekers are temporarily housed in hotels in towns and cities across the UK.
“The council currently has no role in this, but I have already made clear that we wish to see the use of hotels come to an end, and that we would welcome a greater level of involvement that works better for our communities and for those seeking better lives.
“We are engaged with the Home Office on making this happen and we will attempt to bring about change in the right way. However, I want to be clear, those individuals housed in the hotel are human beings and their journey has been far from easy.”
