Porthcawl RNLI crew member hits back after councillor repeats far-right misinformation
Emily Price
A Porthcawl RNLI crew member has hit back at a Tommy Robinson-supporting Bridgend councillor who repeated false claims about the charity amid warnings over “unacceptable abuse” faced by its volunteers.
Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr Councillor Owain Clatworthy shared a video on Facebook on Wednesday (September 9) showing a Black man who had been arrested in Sheffield after allegedly wielding a knife in the street.
The footage had been widely circulated by right-wing accounts online, with false claims that the man had been “taxied” to the UK by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
Cllr Clatworthy, who defected to Restore Britain earlier this year after being placed last on Reform UK’s Senedd election list, was among those to share the footage.
He captioned the post: “The latest RNLI taxi drop off. Coming to a town near you.”
It came amid a wave of abuse and threats directed at RNLI volunteers, including activists branding crew members “traitors” and publishing the private details of some volunteers online.
The RNLI has faced growing criticism from anti-immigration groups over its role in rescuing asylum seekers who get into difficulty while attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats.
A volunteer crew member at Porthcawl RNLI responded directly to Cllr Clatworthy’s post, accusing him of taking “cheap shots” at the charity.
The volunteer wrote: “I’m a volunteer crew member at Porthcawl RNLI YOUR local lifeboat station.
“Instead of slagging off the RNLI on Facebook, come down to the station and see for yourself what we actually do.
“Meet the volunteers who give up their time, train week after week and launch in all conditions to save lives at sea.
“When the pager goes, we don’t ask who someone is, where they come from or why they need help. We go and help them.
“You represent Porthcawl. The RNLI is a proud and important part of this community.
“So the invitation is there, come and visit YOUR local lifeboat station, meet the crew and see the work we do before taking cheap shots at the RNLI.”
The response attracted hundreds of likes and messages of support on Facebook.
Cllr Clatworthy did not respond publicly to the crew member’s comments.
The RNLI has condemned the abuse faced by its volunteers and staff, describing online and physical attacks as “unacceptable”.
On Thursday (September 10) the charity issued security advice warning its volunteers and staff not to wear anything with the RNLI’s branding.
The charity has also rejected claims circulating online about its role in the Channel, including a far-right conspiracy theory that it houses asylum seekers at its stations or transports migrants to undisclosed locations.
In a statement, the charity said: “The RNLI is a charity that exists to save lives at sea. But recent events have generated deliberate misinformation and a misunderstanding about our purpose and our lifesaving work in the Channel.
“As a result, some of our volunteers and staff have been the subject of online and, in some cases, physical abuse. This is unacceptable.
“The RNLI’s people represent the very best of society. For over two hundred years they have dedicated themselves to rescuing people they’ve never met before, without judgment, fear or favour.
“We are tasked by HM Coastguard to help those in distress, and we’ll do so whenever, wherever and whoever they are.
“We launched 9,058 times in 2025. Only 109 of those launches were to those in distress in the Channel – 1.2% of our total rescue work.
“Anyone rescued from a small boat by the RNLI is then taken into the care of the relevant UK authorities.
“To those who stand with the RNLI, thank you. For more than two hundred years, we’ve saved lives at sea around the UK and Ireland, and that commitment remains unchanged.”
Cllr Clatworthy has previously attracted controversy over his social media activity, with posts about immigration, LGBTQ+ issues and abortion rights drawing criticism from political opponents and members of the public.
Earlier this week, the evangelical Christian and Charlie Kirk supporter boasted about how the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales had again rejected complaints made about his conduct.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Get more trusted Welsh news
Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.
I shall sign up as a RNLI supporter when I get paid tomorrow
Already had a direct debit for a good few years now, but I shall be sure to order myself a T-shirt at some point this weekend.
I have now joined you.
Next I need to wind myself up to volunteer
What a nasty piece of work this jumped-up Councillor Clatworthy is!
No matter, people will read his vile posts and see him for what he is
The wonderful thing about this is that is Cllr T**tworthy got washed out to sea and one of his water wings sprang a leak, the good people of the RNLI would rescue him irrespective of the fact that he’s a racist, sky-fairy bothering loon…
And here’s me wondering if he’d refuse their help on ideological grounds. Answers on a postcard…
I am not sure any God fearing individual could retain this much hate within one’s soul.
His contorted face and ruined soul suggests his path he treads upon has been laid by Shaytan.
Tommy Robinson lol. In reality ex-public schoolboy, surname Laxley- Lennon. When are we going to kick these Gobsh-te Right Wingers out of Cymru. Our grandparents gave them a kicking. Time we did the same!
A Herd of Cows.
A Flock of Geese.
A VOMIT of Reform Voters.
RNLI are brave, not self serving and will go out of their way to help any and all. History is full of such bravery across many professions and personal endeavour’s and it happens everyday.
Clatworthy is none of this. A craven excuse of a human yet the RNLI would still try to save his life if he needed them. He needs a dose of history not dealt by the nazi’s.
RNLI volunteers are heroes. This nasty fake Christian is a racist blob of slime.
Suspect the vile vendetta currently being waged against them by far right scum is doing wonders for donations to the RNLI. As for the cretinous coward Clatworthy ……roll on May 2027 (im sure the good people of Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr cant wait to be rid of this embarrasment to their community)
Stop referring to this clown as a Christian. He has no concept of what it is to be a Christian.
I am proud to say despite being on a fixed limited as a retiree, I contribute monthly to the RNLI. As an ex RN sailor & amateur yachtsman who has witnessed the frightening power of the seas I can only marvel at the bravery of the RNLI staff & reflect with sadness, that this manchild can harbour so much hate in his heart. What an ugly soul he must have.
They all have certain commonalities these angry young men, an insular culture characterized by deep resentment, social isolation, and hostile views toward society…
Where there’s racism, other sinister things are always close by.
Once any politician of any persuasion aims and attacks volunteer emergency services that should be it.
It’s a low level to sink to beyond any of the other disgusting things they’re involved in.
Nows the time for them to be removed from public office and banned from going anywhere near it ever again.
The commenters and sharers on Facebook need locking up to keep their communities safe.
I wonder what it’s like to be so offensively stupid that everything you say and do irritates people, yet also lacking any sense of self-awareness to acknowledge maybe you’re the problem?
He would check ID before administering aid. My grandparents and family from that age went to war against his type.
As did millions of others. And the history of Bridgend has many thousands working to defeat his kind.
The hierarchy of human dignity. Rather ironic coming from a loudmouth councillor who has none of his own.
I will be making it a point of visiting the RNLI shop in Oystermouth very shortly.I hope to buy Merch e.g a Baseball Hat and Pin Badge to wear in Public.
If any Gammon wants to challenge my support for the RNLI, that is if they can read them I’ll be more than up for it.