Reform MS criticised for backing Polish politician described as ‘unhinged extremist’

Martin Shipton 

A Reform UK Senedd Member has been criticised for supporting a far-right, racist Polish politician who has been described as an “unhinged extremist”.

Cristiana Emsley, who represents Fflint Wrecsam, posted a message on X about MEP Dominik Tarczyński, who was barred from entering the UK by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

The MS stated: “Remember who Dominik Tarczyński is. An elected Polish MEP. Fiercely patriotic. Unapologetic on borders, sovereignty and Poland’s right to say NO to Brussels.

“Starmer’s Government barred him from Britain, declaring his presence ‘not conducive to the public good’. Apparently defending your country, borders and culture makes you unacceptable in Labour’s Britain.

“Now look at Poland. They are refusing to buckle. Perhaps that’s exactly why voices like @D_Tarczynski’s frighten the establishment.”

The centre-right government of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is currently involved in a battle with far-right President Karol Nawrocki over alleged irregularities in the appointment of judges to the country’s constitutional court.

In 2023, Tarczyński called for the criminal prosecution of Holocaust historian Barbara Engelking following comments she made about Polish attitudes towards Jews during the Holocaust. He had previously made headlines in 2019 when he told CNN that antisemitism did not exist in Poland.

In September 2025, Tarczyński attended far-right activist Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom rally in London, where he spoke from the main stage and called for a “very radical” approach to immigration, including leading a “Send them back” chant. The rally attracted between 110,000 and 150,000 people, according to police estimates.

In January 2026, Tarczyński praised United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after they killed Renée Good in Minneapolis, United States.

In May 2026, Tarczyński intended to travel to the UK to address a far-right rally in London. However, his Electronic Travel Authorisation was revoked by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

In response, Tarczyński described the revocation as “what communism looks like in the 21st century” and stated on X that he would personally sue the UK’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski claimed the post “confirmed that he [Tarczyński] is an unhinged extremist”.

Tarczyński has denied being an Islamophobe, claiming that his perspective is not a form of phobia but is based on what he describes as a rational fear of Muslims.

Tarczyński is socially conservative and has emphasised Poland’s Christian identity and traditional values. In a 2020 interview with Tim Sebastian, he claimed his party was “trying to keep Poland great and Christian”.

In response to concerns among Poland’s LGBTQ community over the introduction of LGBT-free zones, he has dismissed those concerns as “LGBT ideology”, while claiming that Poland remains a free country.

Tarczyński has expressed public support for the war in Iran undertaken by the US and Israel.

‘Astonishing’

Responding to Ms Emsley’s post in support of Tarczyński, former Labour leader of Bridgend council Jeff Jones wrote on social media: “Astonishing and worrying that a Senedd Member should want to be associated with someone like him. Anti-Semite and a racist.”

He added: “Why do you think the Home Secretary stopped him from coming to the UK? The Polish Foreign Minister described him as an ‘unhinged extremist’.”

We wrote to Ms Emsley, pointing out that Mr Jones had criticised her for supporting a far-right politician who has been described by Poland’s Foreign Minister as an “unhinged extremist”.

We stated that Tarczyński had adopted some extreme stances and asked how she responded to Mr Jones’ criticism and whether she agreed with those positions.

Ms Emsley did not respond.