• In a letter to Theresa May, the Shadow Home Secretary highlighted powers which allow a Home Secretary to stop an individual entering the country where their presence is “not conducive to public good” and where they have displayed “unacceptable behaviour”. She suggested these powers could be used to prevent Julien Blanc – a self-styled “dating coach” – coming to the UK.
• She pointed to reports of Mr Blanc having a history of behaviour that incites violence against women, material from his previous shows that suggest he promises to “teach” men how to overcome “last minute resistance” from to having sex and video footage of him apparently grabbing women by the throat.
• The Shadow Home Secretary said “It is important that respect for the laws on sexual assault and violence are upheld and that we send a clear message from Britain about zero tolerance of violence against women and girls”.
• She asked the Home Secretary to ensure officials “urgently review this evidence and gather further evidence about his activities, with a view to exercising your exclusion powers to prevent him coming to the UK.”

Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said:

“Why should we let someone into this country to incite sexual assaults or violence against women? Australia has already sent this man home. Canada want to keep him out. There is plenty of evidence of Mr Blanc’s vile views and misogynist business, and no interest for Britain in him being able to promote them here in our communities.

“The Home Office need to investigate him urgently. Theresa May should be able to exercise sensible border control and stop him holding these seminars in our country.”

Ends

Editors’ Note:

The full text of the letter is below:

Rt Hon Theresa May MP

Home Secretary

Home Office

2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

Dear Theresa

I am writing regarding an individual reportedly expected to travel to the UK later in November and your powers to personally decide to exclude an individual who is not a British citizen on the grounds their presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good and where they have displayed unacceptable behaviour.

Previously exclusion powers have been used to prevent people coming to the UK whose are believed to be intending to incite people to commit crimes, stirring up hate or risk generating inter-community violence.

Recently you excluded the French comedian, Dieudonne M'bala M'bala over concerns he would incite anti-Semitic hate.

I am extremely concerned to hear that someone who is reported to have a history of behaviour that incites violence against women is intending to travel to the UK in order to run a series of seminars which may promote violence against women.

Julien Blanc is associated with an organisation called ‘Real Social Dynamics’, and is reportedly coming to the UK for events in London. According to publicity material, videos and reports, Mr Blanc runs events which include instructing men to pursue inappropriate behaviour.

Promotional material on websites reportedly linked to Mr Blanc also promise to ‘teach’ men how to overcome ‘last minute resistance’ from women to having sex including ‘teaching’ how to 'bring her back from her logical mind, and into an emotional state’. Videos of Blanc apparently include footage of him grabbing women around the throat, as well as instructing men to use physical force to get women to engage with them.

Equally disturbingly, the website Buzzfeed has reported Mr Blanc uploading a chart to the internet displaying behaviours associated with domestic abuse – including physical abuse and coercive control – which he reportedly associated with his instructions on how to compel women to engage in sexual acts.

It appears that Mr Blanc and his company run courses and events promoting this kind of behaviour. I am sure you would agree that courses or events which incite or promote the use of force against women are not "conducive to the public good”.

Given the reported potential for this man to incite abuse, can you instruct your officials to urgently review this evidence and gather further evidence about his activities, with a view to exercising your exclusion powers to prevent him coming to the UK.

Mr Blanc has already been required to leave Australia for this reason, and the Canadian Government are considering whether to exclude him.

It is important that respect for the laws on sexual assault and violence are upheld and that we send a clear message from Britain about zero tolerance of violence against women and girls.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP

Shadow Home Secretary