BRITISH campaigners against racism have condemned Tommy Robinson’s ego-boosting recent meeting with Italy’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, branding both men fascists.

On his first trip to the country since he staged an assault on an immigrant in Rome about 10 years ago, the British far-right agitator — whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — visited Mr Salvini in his state office last week.

No official reason was given for the visit, which took place at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, prompting questions over whether Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was aware of the meeting.

In a social media post sharing a pose with Mr Salvini and what seems to be a friendly handshake, Mr Robinson wrote: “It was an honour for me to shake hands with a man I have looked up to since the beginning of my activism.”

He went on to describe the federal secretary of the far-right Lega party as “a courageous leader, a strong man of Europe.”

Stand Up to Racism co-convener Weyman Bennett told the Morning Star: “Fascists like Salvini and Robinson have a joint project of scapegoating Muslims, minorities, the poor and the dispossessed.

“We have monitored and opposed these groups of fascists for a long time.

“Robinson wants to build a street movement and Salvini is building one inside [Italy’s] parliament in order to destroy all forms of democracy.”

He added that Mr Salvini’s far-right government led by Ms Meloni represents a “danger to all of us.

“The people who supported Mussolini and Hitler now wear camouflage,” Mr Bennett said.