Terrorist Sympathiser Simon Russell Back in Parliament – Courtesy of MPs and Celebrity Enablers
- dereckhoward99
- Oct 31
- 3 min read
The terrorist sympathiser deemed too extreme for the League Against Cruel Sports was invited back to Westminster as the guest of your elected representatives.
Animal Liberation Front (ALF) supporter and Hunt Saboteur Association (HSA) Chair Simon Russell was back in Parliament last week, this time with the support of some seriously heavyweight political beasts. This is the same Simon Russell who was too toxic for even the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) to touch.
The event was a launch party for the sab single ‘Fox on the Run’ by animal rights advocate Les Hemstock, formerly of the novelty pop act, Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers.
A Frightening Guestlist
Russell was flanked by a high-profile lineup of MPs, including Seamus Logan (SNP), Ruth Jones, Cat Eccles, Jon Trickett, and Jessica Morden (all Labour), Iqbal Mohamed (Independent), Jeremy Corbyn (Your Party) and Andrew George (Lib Dem). The support didn’t stop there: heavyweight figures from politics, entertainment, and activism rallied behind him, including Baroness Natalie Bennett, former police officer Jim Clark, Queen guitarist Brian May, Lou Ferrigno (of the Incredible Hulk fame), comedian Ricky Gervais, veterinarian Marc Abraham OBE, and wildlife campaigner Anne Brummer.
That’s quite the crowd for a man with Russell’s colourful past. What’s even more concerning is that MPs are dedicating their precious time to a music release event that promises to be almost as grating as Clive Richardson blaring his horn.
The Ties That Bind
Russell's ties to the ALF run disturbingly deep. Far from being a neutral observer, he publicly championed the extremist group and even faced criminal charges over his involvement. While editing a publication supporting the ALF, Russell was arrested and later tried at Portsmouth Crown Court in 1997, accused, alongside several others, of conspiring to incite criminal damage through their reporting.
This wasn't standard investigative journalism, but material encouraging others to commit illegal acts in the name of animal rights extremism. Though the charges ultimately fell apart, the trial cemented Russell's reputation as a figure on the militant fringe of the movement.
You Can’t Sit With Us…
Here's where it gets truly revealing. Even within activist circles, Russell's hardline stance proved divisive. In 2019, he was dismissed from LACS after police reportedly refused to cooperate with him. The charity, under pressure to distance itself from its more radical past, severed ties with Russell and several other senior campaigners.
When even LACS, an organisation not exactly known for moderation, decided he was too extreme, it raises serious questions about why politicians are allowing him back in Westminster.
LACS Integrity
This is the same charity that was led by alleged sex offender, Dan Norris. The former Chair was arrested in April on suspicion of rape, child sex offences, child abduction and misconduct in a public office, yet continued to vote via proxy in Parliament despite being banned from the Parliamentary Estate.
Norris isn't the first politician associated with LACS to be brought down by accusations of sexual impropriety. In January, former Veterans Minister Ivor Caplin was arrested in Shoreham for allegedly attempting to meet with a 15-year-old boy he had spoken to online. Caplin had previously been awarded a lifetime membership by LACS for his role in supporting the 2004 Hunting Act.
The pattern is disturbing: LACS seems to attract individuals whose judgment, both political and personal, is deeply questionable.
A Cosy Little Club
It should come as no surprise that Jeremy Corbyn would lend his support to someone like Russel. The former Labour Party leader has shared platforms and attended events with Hamas and IRA sympathisers. He has also appeared alongside senior Sinn Fein figures.
Russell's extremist connections aren't ancient history or youthful indiscretions. His dismissal from LACS happened just six years ago, specifically because law enforcement wouldn't cooperate with him. That's not a distant past mistake - it's a recent red flag.
The support from celebrities like Brian May and Ricky Gervais at this event is particularly troubling. These are individuals with massive platforms and influence, particularly among young people. By supporting the same events as Russell, they're effectively normalising his extremist connections and giving a veneer of respectability to someone with ties to a designated terrorist organisation.
This isn't just about one activist with questionable connections. It's about a troubling pattern of mainstream politicians and celebrities legitimising extremism in pursuit of their political objectives.
By repeatedly giving Russell a platform in Westminster, these MPs and public figures are sending a clear message: terrorist sympathies and extremist connections are acceptable.
That's a dangerous precedent to set.
