News

Porthcawl RNLI crew member hits back after councillor repeats far-right misinformation

10 Sep 2026 4 minute read

Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr councillor Owain Clatworthy – Screen grab from Faith Jarvis podcast

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.

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