I must admit to being pretty surprised upon hearing this news on the radio. If true -and he has left, along with other leaders within the EDL for the reasons they state- I think we should all find that encouraging. Its not a victory for Islamic fundamentalism, but a victory for tolerance and moderation; together with a belated recognition that, rather than combating extremism with tit for tat hatred and violence, instead the roots of the radicalisation need to be combated through better education, the use of reason and rationality and the preaching of moderation rather than violence, provocative street marches and hatred/prejudice.
I note that the Quillian Foundation appear to have played a great part in this epiphany for Mr. Robinson, an organisation formed, at least in part, from ex-islamic radicals to combat islamic radicalism.
Another point made by Mr. Robinson and others in the general debate and indeed here on AB is that greater rejection of ectremism and hatred and intolerance and violence needs to be both seen and heard from the communities from which it comes.As Mr. Robinson says in his own words - he wanted to counter extreme islamic fundamentalism.It should never have been about being anti-Muslim, and one cannot escape the sense that for much of the membership of the EDL, that was what it was all about.