David Clews

[[File:David_Clews.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Behold, your emperor!]]{{alt-right}}{{cquote|Clews and his UNN media channels are growing all the time.|||Unnamed anti-fascist investigator.<ref name=dr2>[https://archive.ph/f42hE Far-right Scottish influencer shuts down social media chat after "tsunami" of racist comments] by Mark McGivern (August 10, 2024) ''Daily Record''</ref>}}{{cquote|He has zero interest in the truth, but instead makes his money spreading spurious conspiracy theories and racist nonsense.|||Hope not Hate spokesperson<ref name=dr3>[https://archive.ph/EE2Cz Far-right influencer begs for donations after fleeing Scotland as he fears arrest] by Mark McGivern (August 17, 2024) ''Daily Record''</ref>}}{{cquote|I'm not mental.|||David Clews<ref name=tn1>[https://www.thenational.scot/news/15780723.im-not-mental-says-david-clews-of-pro-union-splinter-group-uk-unity/ 'I'm not mental' says David Clews of pro-Union splinter group UK Unity] by Bridget Morris ''The National''</ref>}}

'''David "The Emperor" Clews''' {{lived|October 1983|}}<ref>[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/hCpiSaPDZdhFcFmoBQ2cEb5i2ws/appointments David CLEWS] ''Companies House''</ref> is a former Conservative and Labour councillor turned [[alt-right]] activist, best known as the co-founder and lead correspondent of the [[far-right]] [[webshite]] [[Unity News Network]] (UNN).<ref name=tt>[https://archive.ph/QXYth Rogues’ gallery of figures fanning the flames of violence] by Tom Witherow and Mario Ledwith (August 5, 2024) ''The Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/07/the-edl-actors-and-conspiracy-theorists-a-guide-to-the-british-far-right Actors, activists and conspiracy theorists – a guide to the British far right] by Ben Quinn (August 7, 2024) ''The Guardian''</ref> Through this platform and personal speaking appearance at far-right rallies he has supported [[Brexit]] and the ''Free [[Tommy Robinson]]'' protests, denied [[COVID-19 denialism|COVID-19]]<ref name=sm1>[https://archive.ph/gXsjL Scots virus expert says ex-Tory politician's views on vaccines 'belong in Middle Ages'] by Craig Robertson (Febuary 20, 2022) ''Sunday Mail''</ref> and [[climate change]],<ref name=dr1>[https://archive.ph/ur0xN#selection-1443.152-1443.200 Former Scots Tory councillor emerges as leading influencer for Patriotic Alternative] by Mark McGivern (November 13, 2023) ''Daily Record''</ref> spread [[anti-vax]] and [[immigration]] conspiracies,<ref name=sm1 /> and decried [[white genocide]] and [[cultural Marxism]].<ref name=hnh>[https://hopenothate.org.uk/case-files-unity-news-network/ CASE FILE: Unity News Network] ''Hope Not Hate''</ref> He has also platformed the likes of [[Mark Collett]], [[Nick Griffin]] and [[James Costello]].<ref name=hnh /> He has himself been the subject of conspiracy theories within the alt-right due to his odd political record and his wife’s supposed job with a well-known defence contractor.<ref>[https://www.searchlightmagazine.com/2023/10/patriotic-alternative-conference-exposes-weaknesses-and-international-connections/ Patriotic Alternative conference exposes weaknesses and international connections] (October 12, 2023) ''Searchlight''</ref>

==The imperial march==
===The little emperor===
[[File:David_Clews_Tory.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Tory Boy]]
Born in Renfrew in 1983 to a "a typical west of Scotland, Unionist loyalist family, that loved this country and supported the royals," "a family where [[BNP]] views were not frowned upon," Clews attended private day school {{wpl|Kelvinside Academy}} and studied theology at the University of Glasgow.<ref name=tst>[https://archive.ph/CRPu9 The far-right influencer from Renfrew who fanned flames after Southport killings] by Dominic Hauschild (August 10, 2024) ''The Sunday Times''</ref> "I think it’s safe to say when I was in my teens," he later recalled,<ref name=dr1 /> "I was somewhat right of centre [in] my politics but I sort of toned it down a bit, which was a stupid move really."

Entering into local politics, he was elected as a Conservative councillor for Renfrewshire in 2007, where according to a former colleague:<ref name=tst />{{Quotebox|We all laughed at him because we thought he was bonkers. He used to come up with outrageous ideas and really right-wing policies. I always got the sense he was putting on an act to seem posher than he was.}} Becoming “disillusioned” by Conservative austerity policies, Clews earned himself the nickname "Tory Boy" by defecting to the Labour Party in 2011. 

He briefly joined the anti-Scottish-independence organisation {{wpl|Scotland in Union}} in 2012, before leaving the following year to form his own splinter group, UK Unity.<ref name=tn1 /> His home was raided by police investigating data protection offences after a list of high-profile donors to Scotland in Union was leaked.<ref name=tn2>[https://www.thenational.scot/news/15919963.police-raid-home-uk-unity-founder-scotland-union-data-leak-investigation-continues/ Police raid home of UK Unity founder as Scotland in Union data leak investigation continues] ''The National''</ref><ref name=tst />

===The emperor's new new new clothes===
Clews teamed up with former UKIP Scotland youth leader Carl Pearson in 2019 to found the [[far-right]] political [[webshite]] Unity News Network (UNN) which quickly established itself as an influential platform for the UK's new alt-right.<ref name=tg>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/03/new-ukip-gerard-batten-corbyn-hard-right-momentum Ukip 2.0: young, angry, digital and extreme] by Josh Halliday and Peter Walker (March 3, 2019) ''The Guardian''</ref>

Cementing his new-found fame, Clews has become a regular speaker at conferences for British far-right white nationalist group [[Patriotic Alternative]] (PA), where, despite not being a member, he is hailed as the ''emperor of peace''. [[Hope not Hate]] spokesperson David Lawrence concludes:<ref name=dr1 /> {{Quotebox|PA is a fringe fascist group, made up of conspiracy cranks. This fact would have been obvious to anyone who listened to the ­conference speeches, during which the group’s leadership recommended Mein Kampf to the audience and compared PA’s mission to that of Nazi soldiers on the Eastern Front. That Clews felt at home at such an event tells you all you need to know about him.}}

===Crossing the Rubicon and back again===
{{cquote|They want some form of race war.|||David Clews<ref name=tst />}}
Clews fanned the flames of the [[2024 United Kingdom riots]] appearing on a UNN live stream from a family holiday in Costa Rica within hours of the [[2024 Southport stabbing|Southport stabbing]] and, with the phrases "this is the name that’s doing the rounds," and "play guess the religion anyone," spreading [[Bernie Spofforth]]'s false identification of the perpetrator as a Muslim immigrant.<ref name=tst /> He went on to suggest that the attacker could have been brainwashed and the murders "co-ordinated by MI5." Absolving the rioters of any blame, he claimed that "those responsible for what is happening across the country sit in the corridors of power in 10 Downing Street, Palace of Westminster etc." and that the riots were "self-defence" against "the security services and parts of the British government [that] want to see these attacks happening." The UNN reiterated:<ref name=dr2 /> {{Quotebox|Starmer and his government have continued, after decades of attacks on people concerned around mass migration and the way in which this country is run, to lambast a vast swathe of the populace. Peaceful non violent protest is a democratic right so of course people should still have the right to do so. To suggest otherwise is dictatorial communism.}}

The response of UNN's audience was predictable with anti-fascist investigators noting:<ref name=dr2 />{{Quotebox|The stuff on UNN’s Telegram in the past couple of weeks has been off the scale with racist commentary and there’s no doubt such content is fanning the flames of racial unrest.}}

Urging the rioters to keep taking to the streets, Clews stated, "don’t give them anything to use against you but we must continue until this country is liberated from tyranny," and, "there’s no going back from this now. The Rubicon has been crossed, we need to defend ourselves." A short time later, coincidentally not long after Spofforth's arrest, Clews, however, did an apparent about face, stating:<ref name=dr2 />{{Quotebox|We have turned the comments section off on Telegram for the foreseeable future. Last week was a tsunami of information and comments and anything inflammatory was removed at the quickest speed possible. The only people responsible for these comments are the individuals or groups who post them for whatever reasons they do. I have made numerous videos and posts clearly stating that the use of racial slurs and threats to violence will be removed and users banned. We have a small team of moderators and bot filters in place.}}

Styling himself after Tommy Robinson, Clews announced that he would remain in exile in his family holiday destination of Costa Rica and requested donations to help him do so, stating:<ref name=dr3 /> {{Quotebox|What troubles me the most is that Hope Not Hate and the media will be sending their lies to the Police and CPS to try and have me investigated on spurious charges. The issue is people are being remanded and given no bail and then being put straight to trial away from family and loved ones. So I have taken the decision not to return to the UK at this time. What we need to do is wait and see how things play out over the next couple of weeks then I will review things from there. Yet be not afraid as I have never felt more positive. The suffering and then resurrection of Christ teaches us that hope can always spring eternal from the darkest of places and I value all of the prayers that have been made. Donations and support is welcome from those who are sick of the corrupt press working in lockstep with the British regime to try and silence their critics.}} 

A HNH spokesperson responded:<ref name=dr3 /> {{Quotebox|As usual, David Clews is playing the victim and blaming others for his misfortunes. This should be unsurprising, as anyone who has paid the slightest attention to him will know he has zero interest in the truth, but instead makes his money spreading spurious conspiracy theories and racist nonsense.}}

Apparently not gathering enough donations to remain in Costa Rica, Clews next showed up in Poland threatening to flee to Belarus.<ref>[https://www.searchlightmagazine.com/2024/08/clueless-clews-does-a-runner/ Clueless Clews does a runner], 31 August 2024, ''Searchlight''</ref> He was, however, back in the UK by October addressing the annual get together of the [[Traditional Britain Group]] in the plush surrounds of St Ermin’s hotel in Westminster.<ref>[https://searchlightmagazine.com/2024/10/traditional-britain-group-to-welcome-speaker-who-tried-to-hire-hitman/ Traditional Britain Group to welcome speaker who tried to hire hitman], 6 October 2024, ''Searchlight''</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/oct/25/traditional-britain-group-conservatives-far-right-uk Group that emerged from Tory party hosts forum for Britain’s far right], 25 October 2024, ''The Guardian''</ref>

===Imperial intent===
{{cquote|Time to be realistic. The ONLY vehicle to make change in this country is the Reform Party. If you want to be part of that change you cannot sit back on the sidelines. Join the Reform Party, get involved, become a candidate and make the change that YOU want to see.|||David Clews<ref name=pg150525>Paul Gale, [https://searchlightmagazine.com/2025/05/fascists-target-reform-for-infiltration/ Fascists target Reform for infiltration], 15 May 2025, ''Searchlight''</ref>}}

Clews and [[Patriotic Alternative]] leader [[Mark Collett]] posted a declaration of intent and broadcast their plans to infiltrate Reform UK with "tens of thousands" of their extremist supporters in order to  "drag Reform to the right" and push a "pro-white" and anti-immigration agenda.<ref name=pg150525 /><ref>Mark McGivern, [https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-far-right-influencer-orchestrating-35241287 Scots far right influencer orchestrating mass infiltration of extremists into Reform], 17 May 2025, ''Daily Record''</ref><ref>Billy Kenber, [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clygr52dn1ro Far-right leaders attempting to hijack success of Reform], 18 May 2025, ''BBC News''</ref> In contradiction to claims by a spokesman for the party that it had a "stringent vetting process" and "these people know they are not welcome and never will be," Clews maintained that he already had sympathisers in "branch chairs" and "on candidate lists".

==Unity News Network==
[[File:UNN_logo.png|thumb|right|165px|Not a taxi company.]]{{cquote|What we do is not hyper-partisan – it’s populist.|||David Clews<ref name=tg>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/03/new-ukip-gerard-batten-corbyn-hard-right-momentum Ukip 2.0: young, angry, digital and extreme] by Josh Halliday and Peter Walker (March 3, 2019) ''The Guardian''</ref>}}{{cquote|If I was a taxi driver and someone got in and went and murdered someone after I dropped them of the taxi driver responsible for that person being murdered?|||David Clews<ref name=tg />}}

The '''Unity News Network''' (UNN) is a highly-untrustworthy [[far-right]]{{efn|UNN, according to Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC),<ref name=mbfc/> promotes conspiracy theories, propaganda, pseudoscience, and false claims.}} political [[webshite]],<ref name=mbfc>[https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/unity-news-network/ Unity News Network – Bias and Credibility] ''Media Bias/Fact Check''</ref><ref>[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11325162 UNITY NEWS NETWORK LTD] ''Companies House''</ref> founded in 2018 by alt-right conspiracy theorist [[David Clews]] and former UKIP Scotland youth leader '''Carl Pearson''' {{lived|November 1997|}},<ref>[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/cTbPf92_P9_Y5wy8ouaCUn-CfHs/appointments Carl Dean PEARSON] ''Companies House''</ref><ref>[https://www.thenational.scot/news/24510159.revealed-far-right-groups-entities-operating-scotland/ Revealed: The far-right groups operating in Scotland] by James Walker ''The National''</ref><ref name=tt>[https://archive.ph/QXYth Rogues’ gallery of figures fanning the flames of violence] by Tom Witherow and Mario Ledwith (August 5, 2024) ''The Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/07/the-edl-actors-and-conspiracy-theorists-a-guide-to-the-british-far-right Actors, activists and conspiracy theorists – a guide to the British far right] by Ben Quinn (August 7, 2024) ''The Guardian''</ref> which according to anti-fascist investigators is "growing all the time."<ref name=dr2>[https://archive.ph/f42hE Far-right Scottish influencer shuts down social media chat after "tsunami" of racist comments] by Mark McGivern (August 10, 2024) ''Daily Record''</ref> This shite is funded by online advertising, donations, and merchandising.<ref name=mbfc/> 

UK independent press regulator {{wpl|IMPRESS}} expelled UNN in 2022 following a ''systemic breach'' of its standards code with regards to a large number of ''problematic'' tweets and articles about Ukraine and the pandemic.<ref name=pg>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230103094222/https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/impress-unity-news-network/ Impress kicks out Unity News Network over Covid vaccine and Ukraine coverage] by Bron Maher (October 25, 2022) ''Press Gazette''</ref>

Research by {{wpl|King’s College London}} (and, no doubt, the No Shit Sherlock Institute) has concluded that people engaged with UNN and other alternative media sources are significantly more likely to believe in conspiracy theories and the effectiveness of ''direct action''.<ref>[https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute/assets/conspiracy-belief-among-the-uk-public.pdf Conspiracy belief among the UK public and the role of alternative media] ''King’s College London''</ref> Lead researcher Dr Rod Dacombe told The Times:<ref name=tst /> {{blockquote|What’s really critical is that UNN and the other alternative news sites don’t just say here’s what’s happening. They promote action, whether that’s by calling for people to go out on the streets or to look things up online, they use a ‘moral’ or ‘ethical’ call to action. The people who are engaged in these conspiracy theories are relatively small in number but highly motivated and highly engaged.}}<p />
Clews has responded to such criticisms with a bizarre analogy about a taxi driver not being responsible for a murder committed by one of his passengers.<ref name=tg />

==Imperial edicts==
Clews has used the UNN to make proclomations on a variety of far-right talking points:

===Climate change denialism===
{{main|Climate change}}
{{cquote|It’s just not real.|||David Clews<ref name=dr1 />}}
Speaking about what he referred to as the “ongoing climate change scam," Clews has said:<ref name=dr1 /> {{Quotebox|The climate naturally changes but these people are deliberately lying, saying that it is mankind responsible for that – that if we don’t give all our money to Africa we’re gonna die of climate change. It is a hoax and a ­sh­ake-down.}}

===COVID-19 denialism===
{{main|COVID-19 denialism}}
{{cquote|The mainstream media says the science on this is settled but there are different ways of looking at it.|||David Clews<ref name=sm1 />}}
Cashing in on the pandemic, Clews claimed that Covid-19 was planned, that the vaccines were "committing murder," and that, "People are dropping like flies. Footballers, athletes, musicians, perfectly healthy people are just dropping dead." He sold a £5 card for parents to give to their children, stating: "I am not allowed to be tested or vaccinated."<ref name=sm1 />

A local resident, who lost her mother to COVID-19, said of Clews:<ref name=sm1 /> {{Quotebox|He clearly hasn’t lost any close member of his family to it. It is very annoying because they can’t imagine what people go through when they lose a loved one to the virus.}}

Prof. Hugh Pennington of Aberdeen University, who accussed Clews of "talking bollocks," stated:<ref name=sm1 /> {{Quotebox|The evidence is as good as you could ever want. Persuading them is a waste of time because [[Denialism|they are beyond persuading]]. It goes back to the Middle Ages when the plague was all the fault of the witches. Some things never change.}}

Clews was unable to provide any evidence to the ''Sunday Mail'' to support these claims or his claim that these claims had been “fact-checked”.

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clews, David}}

[[Category:Anti-vaccination movement]]
[[Category:Brexit]]
[[Category:British people]]
[[Category:British right wing]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:COVID-19 denialists]]
[[Category:Far-right politics]]
[[Category:Global warming denialists]]
[[Category:Islamophobes]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Nationalism in the UK]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]

Categories: Anti-vaccination movement, Brexit, British people, British right wing, Conspiracy theorists, COVID-19 denialists, Far-right politics, Global warming denialists, Islamophobes, Living people, Nationalism in the UK, Right-wing activists