Former Trump aide Steve Bannon has made claims that the UK is ‘heading to a civil war’ because of what he terms the rise of ‘radical Islam’.

Bannon, who served as Donald Trump’s chief strategist during the initial seven months of his first presidential term and continues to be a significant supporter, spoke at an America First assembly in Washington last night.

Addressing attendees at NatCon 5, a conference focused on the US National Conservative movement, Bannon claimed that the combination of recent protests and the widespread presence of national flags indicates an impending historic moment.

Bannon said: ‘England is heading to a civil war as we speak. 

‘Why? […] They have a problem with radical Islam that they have not dealt with, and it’s metastasising and getting worse.’

He further noted that the deteriorating 30-year bond markets in Europe signal major instability in the region, insinuating that bankers are skeptical about the current state of affairs and uncertain about the future.

Referencing the upcoming mayoral election in New York, where leftist Zohran Mamdani is favourite to become the city’s first Muslim mayor, Bannon also hit out at London and its mayor Sadiq Khan, who is also Muslim.

‘What has happened in London the last 10 years? Are people asleep?’ asked Mr Bannon. ‘What has happened in Paris? What has happened in Brussels?

Steve Bannon (pictured in July), was Donald Trump’s chief strategist for the first seven months of his first presidential term 

Bannon also hit out at London and its mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured)

‘What has happened to every country except for Hungary and Poland, the ones that said, ‘No, we’re not going to do this. We’re going to keep our culture.’

He continued: ‘Do you think Sadiq Khan’s given back London? Are these guys giving back Paris? Are they giving back Brussels?

‘The English people know this. What do you think they are putting the flags up for?

‘England is heading to a very dark place.’

NatCon is an annual gathering of Right-wing politicians in America who typically support US-first policies and are generally supporters of President Donald Trump.

Its members typically try to develop a framework for Trumpism, focussing on issues such as national identity and culture and ‘traditional’ family values. 

Mr Bannon’s talk, in which he also claimed Europe is already in the ‘kinetic’ phase of ‘World War Three’, drew in one of the largest crowds at the conference.  

His speech came amid rising national tensions across much of Britain, with violent outbreaks at protests outside hotels hosting asylum seekers and local rows over the display of Union Jacks and the St George’s Cross.

A man climbs a ladder as he mounts the St George’s Cross to a lamp post in Worcestershire

Red crosses have been seen spray painted onto surfaces across the country

Some Brits have even vandalised road markings by painting a red cross over white backgrounds

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was yesterday found guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Epping

Anti-immigration protesters have regularly demonstrated outside hotels housing asylum seekers across England over the summer

A wave of displays of the flags has ignited across the country, sparked by Birmingham Council announcing it would remove flags erected on public infrastructure without permission due to health and safety concerns.

Since then, some Brits have placed similar flags on display and vandalised road markings by painting a red cross over white backgrounds.

Elsewhere, rows over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers continue to rage, prompted by the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl by a migrant living in the Bell Hotel in Epping.

Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 41, was yesterday convicted of sex offences after attempting to kiss the teenager, making inappropriate comments towards her and placing his hand on her leg.

He also sexually assaulted a woman passerby who attempted to intervene to protect the girl.

The defendant denied three counts of sexual assault, one of attempted sexual assault, a charge of harassment and another of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity but was convicted following a trial at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.

Kebatu was remanded into custody until he is sentenced. He is due to be sentenced on September 23.

Under current law, foreign offenders who receive a prison sentence of 12 months or more can be deported automatically.

Deportations only occur for sentences under a year in certain cases, for example if it involves a persistent offender or they have caused serious harm.

Last month, the government unveiled plans to immediately kick out rapists, drug dealers and burglars who receive custodial sentences, with a lifelong ban on returning.