Paul Golding: Who is Britain First leader as he tells man to 'f*** off' after handshake rejected in Birmingham

The footage, posted by journalist Adam Yosef on TikTok and reportedly filmed on May 17, captures the moment Golding, 43, approaches a white man in a hat, extends his hand and says, “You alright?” The man immediately responds, “F*** off.”

Golding appears to mutter something inaudible before the man continues: “You came to f***ing my space, I’m stood here!” Golding replies, “Why are you here?”, to which the man repeats, “I’m stood here.”

Golding then escalates the confrontation, shouting: “What are you doing here, you f***ing…” before finishing: “You f***ing treacherous piece of shit.”

The man repeats, “F*** off,” prompting Golding to reply: “You f*** off.” He then adds: “You’re f***ing lucky the old bill’s here mate… F*** yourself, you t***. You got no love for your country. Now f*** off.”

The video was filmed in Birmingham shortly before Britain First held a small demonstration targeting immigration and calling for the release of Tommy Robinson.

Who is Paul Golding?

Golding is the co-founder and current leader of Britain First, a far-right political group known for its anti-Muslim rhetoric, aggressive street activism, and confrontational stunts. Born in Dartford, Kent and now based in Salford, Greater Manchester, Golding has been active in the UK far-right scene for over two decades, according to Hope Not Hate.

He first gained prominence in the late 1990s as a teenage member of the British National Party (BNP), where he served as editor of the youth magazine Excalibur and later as the BNP’s Director of Publicity. Golding's role in the BNP was marked by controversy, including disruptive internal rivalries and embarrassing public incidents.

In 2011, after splitting from the BNP, he helped found Britain First alongside fellow far-right activist Jim Dowson. Under Golding’s leadership, the group has become known for stunts such as mosque “invasions”, threats against migrants, and inflammatory rhetoric.

He has been jailed multiple times for religiously aggravated harassment and contempt of court, and in 2020 was charged under the Terrorism Act for refusing to provide access to his mobile devices after returning from Russia. By Britain First’s own count, he had been arrested 20 times by 2021.

Golding’s former deputy leader, Jayda Fransen, who was also in a personal relationship with him during their time in Britain First, accused him of physical abuse. In a secret recording obtained by the BBC, Golding admitted to assaulting both Fransen and another woman. Fransen later confirmed the claims, stating the abuse continued for several years while she was active in the party.