A British far-right activist with ties to Russian propagandists has praised One Nation leader Pauline Hanson as “one of the bravest lady’s (sic) on the planet” after interviewing her on a podcast.Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who goes by the moniker Tommy Robinson, has a string of convictions ranging from assault to passport fraud.He rose to prominence early last decade after co-founding the English Defence League and staging anti-Islam street protests across the UK.In recent years, he has rebranded himself as an independent media figure and is associated with several fringe and alt-right outlets and activist groups as well as Russian state media.His interview with Karl Stefanovic last month led to the veteran broadcaster’s termination with Nine.“Had a fascinating time chatting to one of the bravest lady’s (sic) on the planet,” Yaxley-Lennon posted on social media on Thursday.“Fearless, relentless, consistent, fighting for the Australian people and hopefully the next leader of her nation.”Senator Hanson has met with several right-wing figures since arriving in the UK after parliament paused last week for the midwinter break.Among them is Australian actor-turned-conservative activist Holly Vallance, who is also an associate of Mr Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.Yaxley-Lennon has drawn the attention of British authorities for travelling to Russia and making statements in support of the country, which both UK and Australia are sanctioning over the war in Ukraine.Returning from a trip to Moscow in June, Yaxley-Lennon was stopped by police at London’s Heathrow Airport and his phone was seized under laws meant to stop potential threats to the UK.While in Moscow, he told media he had “come to see how this country got itself so well on to the straight and narrow and see the beauty of a civilised society here”.“Russia is not the enemy of Britain,” Yaxley-Lennon told The Guardian at the time.The British government, including outgoing prime minister Keir Starmer, has warned Russia could attack NATO “as soon as 2030”.During his interview with Karl Stefanovic, Yaxley-Lennon said he was in awe of Senator Hanson’s rise.“I love Pauline,” he said, adding that he had “watched her for years”.“She spoke up for me. She’s one of the only people who spoke up for me from that side of the world and I respect her.“So, looking at her rise, do you know how happy I am for her? Because she’s been through what I’ve been through.“She’s been condemned, attacked, battered, every name under the sun and here she is. She’s carried on against all of that backlash.”Angus Taylor defends senator who tested triple-0 amid Telstra outage chaos