A black gay clergyman forced to apologise after calling the clap for Captain Sir Tom Moore a ‘cult of white British nationalism’ is now being investigated by the Church of England and is a hostile anti-Tory who has repeatedly called Boris Johnson and Priti Patel ‘oppressors’, MailOnline can reveal today.
The Reverend Jarel Robinson-Brown, 29, has deleted his offensive tweet dismissing the £33million raised for the NHS by the 100-year-old hero, whose efforts were praised by all political leaders and the Archbishop of Canterbury after he died this week.
The London-born trainee vicar, who was brought up by his Jamaican grandmother, responded to the veteran’s death with coronavirus by writing: ‘The cult of Captain Tom is a cult of White British Nationalism. I will offer prayers for the repose of his kind and generous soul, but I will not be joining the ‘National Clap’.’
The Diocese of London has called his message ‘unacceptable, insensitive, and ill-judged’ and revealed a review of his posts is ‘now underway, led by the Archdeacon of London’ saying his apology ‘does not undo the hurt he has caused’. Mr Robinson-Brown has since deleted his Twitter account.
A petition signed by 3,000 people is demanding the Bishop of London takes away his prestigious curate role at the oldest church in the City of London, the 675 AD All Hallows By the Tower, where the 12th century altar was donated by Richard the Lionheart and Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire of London rage from its spire in 1666.
And as the Diocese of London launched a probe into his social media activity, MailOnline can reveal Rev Robinson-Brown’s Twitter feed is packed with political tweets slamming Boris Johnson and his Government and incendiary comments on a number of other issues.
The cleric has repeatedly accused the Prime Minister of ‘talking nonsense’, branded Mr Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel ‘oppressors’ during lockdown and replying to one tweet asking for a ‘sad story in three words’ he replied: ‘Boris wins majority’.
In a message criticising Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng for defending the British Empire, the cleric called him ‘Kwasia’ – Ghanaian for dumb – and accused him of ‘speaking colomental claptrap’ in an article about Brexit. When asked what BLM would think of Mr Kwarteng he said: ‘Nothing good’.
In another rant Reverend Jarel Robinson-Brown, a prominent gay activist and author of the book Black Gay British Christian Queer, blasted ‘ignorant White Christian men’ as the debate rages over LGBTQ+ rights in the CofE.
The scandal came at a time of acute crisis for the Church of England, caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The scale of deaths and illness as well as the shutdown of churches is expected to cause congregations dwindle while the ban on services, weddings and funerals is estimated have cost the Church of England at least £100 million.
Many vicars have been furious about the Government’s decision to close churches at a time when their communities needed them most with one report claiming a fifth of regulars may now never return.
The Reverend Jarel Robinson-Brown, a prominent black gay clergyman, has deleted his offensive tweet dismissing the work of the hero 100-year-old Covid fund-raiser Captain Tom – but his social media remains backed with incendiary tweets
More than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling for his dismissal after he linked the clap for Captain Sir Tom to a ‘cult of white British nationalism’
In one tweet about his daily walk with his Jack Russell, he called Boris Johnson and Priti Patel ‘oppressors’
In a message criticising Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng for defending the British Empire, the cleric called him ‘Kwasia’ – Ghanian for dumb – and accused him of ‘speaking colomental claptrap’ in an article about Brexit.
In another rant Reverend Jarel Robinson-Brown, a prominent black and gay activist, blasted ‘ignorant White Christian men’
Born in West London in 1991 and raised by his Jamaican grandmother, the former Methodist minister in Cardiff and chaplain at King’s College London converted to Anglicanism and is now training to become a priest in the Church of England. Nigel Farage is calling for him to face more severe censure.
Sharing the Captain Tom tweet, the former Ukip leader directed a message to the Archbishop of Canterbury and said: ‘These appalling comments attacking the Clap for Captain Tom as ‘white nationalism’ shows why the Church of England is collapsing. Time to show some leadership @JustinWelby’.
A spokesman for the Diocese of London said: Jarel Robinson-Brown’s comments regarding Captain Sir Tom Moore were unacceptable, insensitive, and ill-judged. The fact that he immediately removed his tweet and subsequently apologised does not undo the hurt he has caused, not least to Captain Tom’s family. Nor do Jarel’s actions justify the racist abuse he is now receiving.
‘A review is now underway, led by the Archdeacon of London. As a Church, we expect clergy to ensure that all online activity is in line with the Church of England’s social media guidelines and built on truth, kindness and sensitivity to others. It is incumbent upon all of us to make social media and the web more widely positive places for conversations to happen’.
The shutdown of churches and the ban on church weddings and funerals cost the Church of England at least £100 million, Church officials have admitted.
And the Covid losses for the Anglicans may have been much higher.
Highly placed sources have suggested the Church dropped £150million in donations alone during the months when collection plates went unused and fees for special services such as weddings, funerals and christenings dried up.
The losses have plunged the Church into a financial crisis and prompted plans for sweeping money-saving reforms.
Among those discussed by its leaders have been a cut in the number of CofE bishops from more than 100 to as few as 10, and a redrawing of the boundaries of England’s 12,500 parishes that would reduce their number to around 9,000.
An internal report has raised questions over the ‘sustainability’ of many local churches and a financial subsidy given to 5,000 loss-making parishes out of a total of 12,000.
The report, revealed by The Sunday Times, warned up to 20 per cent of regular worshippers may never return and dioceses are trying to ‘prune’ the number of staff.
Sources said the number of paid priests could be cut by 10 to 20 per cent, as Archbishop Stephen Cottrell prepares to announce a transformation programme.
He is set to reveal on February 25 how the CofE can attract a younger and more ethnically diverse flock, and be a ‘Jesus-shaped church’ focused on the wider world.
However there are concerns among some traditionalists that the Archbishop is ‘cashing in on the coronavirus’ amid concerns for the network of 16,000 churches.
It is claimed there will be a management system imposed on parishes which will see assets such as vicarages sold and retained clergy given larger areas to run.
Bishop of London launches probe into woke warrior clergyman Jarel Robinson-Brown who called Clap for Capt Tom a ‘white British nationalist cult’ as thousands sign petition to remove him and it emerges he called PM an ‘oppressor’ and blasted ‘ignorant’ white Christian men. The war hero, who raised £33 million for the NHS by walking laps of his garden during the first national lockdown, passed away peacefully in Bedford Hospital on Tuesday afternoon
He is a campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights in the CofE, saying is not a ‘safe’ space for people in those communities
He also left this rather sarcastic remark about London in a tweet to a colleague on his now deleted Twitter account
Jarel Robinson-Brown was appointed to his new post by the Right Reverend Sarah Mullally, the first female Bishop of London (pictured), last month. There is now pressure for her to revoke it after the Twitter scandal. His new vicar, the Reverend Katherine Hedderly, greeted his appointment as a curate last weekend by saying her congregation were ‘delighted’
Part of the strategy is to attract more young BAME people like Mr Robinson-Brown.
He has said he is ‘passionate about issues of justice, particularly in the areas of race and sexuality’ and has ‘an interest in gender, desire and ethnicity in Late Antique Egypt’, alongside ‘liberation theology’ and ‘queer theology’.
The cleric, newly appointed to a prestigious post by the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Sarah Mullally, sparked the row after saying he would not join Wednesday night’s national clap to mark the passing of Captain Tom.
Hundreds of thousands of Britons across the nation took to their doorsteps yesterday evening to pay tribute to Sir Captain Moore after he died of coronavirus yesterday.
The intervention by the 29-year-old black and gay activist appeared to undermine the Church of England and its handling of the Covid crisis at a time when its leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, have been facing criticism for their willingness to close churches.
The Archbishop marked Captain Tom’s death by saying he was ‘an inspiration to millions’.
Mr Robinson-Brown deleted the tweet after a fierce backlash and posted an apology, saying: ‘I offer an unreserved apology for the insensitive timing and content of my tweet regarding the clap for Captain Tom.’
He said he had since read and will sign the church’s digital charter, which is designed to ‘help make social media and the web more widely positive places’.
Former Tory MEP David Campbell Bannerman described it as an ‘appalling comment’, and Bishop Mullally’s diocese was understood to be preparing an apology last night.
Mr Robinson-Brown is set to begin work shortly at All Hallows, which is an ‘inclusive church’, CofE jargon for a radical parish that supports gay rights.
‘Inclusive churches’ were founded in 2003 and ‘advocate for the full inclusion of all people regardless of ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation’.
This includes welcoming all people to a church – and holding events in the community.
His new vicar, the Reverend Katherine Hedderly, greeted his appointment as a curate last weekend by saying her congregation were ‘delighted’.
Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds take part in the doorstep clap in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore outside Downing Street yesterday evening
The war veteran’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, with her children Benjie and Georgia and husband Colin Ingram stand outside their residence before taking part in a Clap for NHS staff
Prime Minister Boris Johnson led the national round of applause at 6pm from Downing Street yesterday, with the veteran’s family also taking part.
Images showed his emotional daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore leaning on her son Benjie as they marked the applause alongside her daughter Georgia and husband Colin Ingram outside Captain Tom’s home in Marston Moretaine near Milton Keynes.
They were joined by hundreds of thousands thousands of well-wishers who showed their support for the 100-year-old by standing on doorsteps and leaning out of windows to clap.
Captain Tom became a national treasure during the first coronavirus lockdown after he raised £33 million for the NHS by doing laps of his garden. His death was met with an out-pouring of grief with the Queen leading tributes.
MPs held a minute’s silence before Prime Minister’s Questions at midday, after which Mr Johnson asked Britons to take part in a clap straight after his 5pm Covid press conference.
He also threw his backing behind a statue to commemorate the war veteran for his efforts during the pandemic.
Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, has said he hopes to see a proposal from the Royal Mint for a commemorative coin for Captain Sir Tom Moore.
Conservative former minister Caroline Nokes told the Commons: ‘Captain Sir Tom Moore taught us that tomorrow is a good day. Can I ask (Mr Rees-Mogg) as Lord President of the Privy Council to use his influence to bring about a commemorative coin for this remarkable national treasure and a debate in this House?’
Mr Rees-Mogg responded: ‘(Ms Nokes) has the most brilliantly obscure knowledge because the approval of all coins does indeed come before the Privy Council on the suggestion of the Royal Mint.
‘And I hope that as Lord President I do see a proposal from the Royal Mint in due course.’
He added: ‘Captain Sir Tom Moore dedicated his life to serving his country and others and he showed the value of all life that he in his hundredth and hundredth and first year, showed that somebody of great age can make as important a contribution as anybody else in the country did over that last year.
‘And it is a reminder to all of us of the value of life and why it’s been right to protect life as far as we possibly can during this incredibly difficult period.’
Cashing in on Captain Tom: RedBubble website is slammed for ‘shamelessly’ selling ‘tacky’ pillows, duvet covers and even mini-skirts emblazoned with the late war hero’s face
An online shop has been slammed for selling ‘tacky’ Captain Sir Tom Moore merchandise – including mini skirts with his face on.
The print merchandise site Redbubble is flogging memorabilia such as a mini skirt with a price tag of £28.87, as well as cushions and t-shirts, plastered in images of the late war hero.
The array of items can be bought from the online retailer and all feature various depictions of the war hero.
Many social media users have slammed the website for making money off the back of Captain Tom’s death, with one writing: ‘There is all sorts of tacky Captain Tom merchandise on there – it’s shameless cashing in.’
Redbubble has been contacted for comment
The online shop Redbubble has been slammed for selling ‘tacky’ Captain Sir Tom Moore merchandise – including mini skirts with his face on (pictured)
Other items to feature Captain Tom include a duvet set – priced at a steep £104.32 – designed and sold by nacer1982
T-shirts can also be purchased on the website – showing a suave looking Captain Tom dressed in a tuxedo with a Union Jack flag draped over his shoulder
The website is also selling cushions featuring the Union flag alongside a portrait of Sir Tom and a quote attributed to him for £46.74
The products are designed and sold by various people using the global site which is a popular online marketplace for print-on-demand products.
One seller AndythephotoDr designed a mini skirt bearing the late hero’s face on the front and back, before selling it on the site for £29.
Photos online show the low half of the model’s figure wrapped in his face.
Other items include a duvet set – priced at a steep £104.32 – designed and sold by another user nacer1982.
The 100 per cent polyester fabric features a print of Captain Tom walking using his frame, a rainbow above his head and the words ‘Tom Moore 1920-2021’ written underneath.
All the items have received rather positives reviews – yet appear to stem back to 2015, years before Captain Tom became known in the media.
T-shirts can also be purchased – showing a suave looking Captain Tom dressed in a tuxedo with a Union Jack flag draped over his shoulder.
The T-shirts, designed and sold by bradleycann, range in sizes from small to 3XL and bear the words: ‘Rest in peace Captain Tom Moore 1920-1921.’
A Captain Tom Covid-19 mask will set you back £12.17, while a ‘Brighter days are coming’ pillow depicting Tom with his war medals will cost £46.74.
Social media users said they had been stunned by the website’s merchandise, with one person commenting: ‘This has sent me over the edge.’
Another Twitter user @NigellaGoresome commented: “What the f***** f***?!”
One posted: “What in the everloving F***.”