YouTube restricts Tommy Robinson channel

YouTube has placed more restrictions around the video channel of English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson.

Clips uploaded by Mr Robinson have been removed from search results and he is blocked from streaming live events via the site.

Messages warning that his videos may not be appropriate for all viewers will also play before clips.

YouTube had already, in January, decided to suspend adverts on Mr Robinson's channel.

It had imposed the further restrictions after talking to external experts and academic researchers about the types of videos shown on the channel, reported Buzzfeed.

"We are applying a tougher treatment to Tommy Robinson's channel in keeping with our policies on borderline content," it told the news site.

Buzzfeed said the steps taken by YouTube would make Mr Robinson's videos "undiscoverable" unless followers sought them out specifically.

The latest action comes after politicians called on YouTube to follow other social media companies in limiting the exposure Mr Robinson enjoyed on their platforms.

Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has also had pages on Facebook and Instagram removed.

Last year, he was banned from Twitter and Paypal ceased processing payments on his behalf.

And he is now thought to rely on email and Snapchat to correspond with followers.