Lee Twamley is a well-known campaigner for flying England flags who is currently in the middle of a controversy after attempting to smuggle several illegal immigrants in the past
Despite portraying himself as an outspoken patriot and taking an active part in activist circles, his criminal history has now cast a shadow on him.
Twamley is the organiser of raising the flags and was jailed for 20 months after being stopped at British border checks in France with four Vietnamese people hidden under camping gear in the back of a van.
Who is Lee Twamley, organizer of raising the flags in Manchester, England previously arrested for smuggling illegal immigrants
You really can't make this up, Lee Twamley is the organiser of raising the flags. He was jailed for 20 months after being stopped at British border checks in France with four Vietnamese people hidden under camping gear in the back of a van. He calls it old news on his tik tok. pic.twitter.com/UkSWS5SHXS
— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) September 3, 2025
Lee Twamley, photographed at the front of Britain First’s “March for Remigration” in Manchester this month, has served prison time for trying to smuggle migrants into the UK. pic.twitter.com/T7IldlPlVr
— Spotted News (@spottednewsorg) August 21, 2025
According to reports, Twamley tried to bring migrants illegally into Britain by hiding them inside vans traveling from France.
Lee Twamley jailed for attempting to smuggle illegal migrants
According to reports, Border Force officers caught Twamley in 2016, while attempting to smuggle migrants from France into the UK. During the first attempt, officials in Coquelles, France, discovered about 11 Vietnamese nationals, which included eight men, two women, and a child, all crammed inside a Ford Transit van headed for Folkestone. Lee later made a second attempt in another van, where officers found two men and two women concealed beneath camping gear alongside. Authorities reportedly refused entry to the migrants and returned them to French officials. Following the two incidents, authorities arrested Lee and he was eventually sentenced to jail.
Charges and allegations
The Manchester Crown Court charged Lee Twamley with conspiring to facilitate illegal entry into the UK. He eventually pleaded guilty and received a 20-month prison sentence, with officials describing the gang’s actions as a “shameless” attempt to exploit desperate people for financial gain. Twamley has since downplayed the revelation as “old news,” despite critics accusing him of hypocrisy, particularly with his current public stance as a nationalist.
Lee Twamley biography and age
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Lee Twamley who lives in Eccles is a nationalist activist who was born in 1970, and he is currently 55 years old. He gained local prominence through public campaigns promoting the display of England flags in NorthwestEngland. Lee also has strong links with a group called Churchill’s Lions, who are known for fundraising activities to distribute more flags in towns and cities.
Nine years ago, Twamley was sneaking around at the border in Coquelles, France, attempting to bring immigrants into Britain illegally.
In 2016, Twamley was stopped at the border as in the back of his Ford Connect van were four Vietnamese people he was attempting to smuggle into the country and he was later convicted for being part of a five-person illegal immigration operation and sentenced to 20 months in prison.
Profession and career
Lee Twamley is best known for his activism, and he is fully involved in far-right marches and flag campaigns. He has notably marched alongside Paul Golding and Ashlea Simon of Britain First while waving the Union Jack during demonstrations pushing for mass deportations. He regularly posts content on social media related to England flags displayed in communities, particularly through his TikTok account Salford T-Bone. Despite his perceived nationalist stance, the recent resurfacing of his criminal record has sparked intense backlash. Many netizens have since labelled him as a “pretend patriot.”
Ladies and gentlemen meet Mr. Lee Twamley 👀 pic.twitter.com/N33PeDLsge
— Danny Jowenko (@DemolitonDanny) August 13, 2025
