Homeland Party (United Kingdom) Explained

Homeland Party
Colorcode:
  1. 0a3d33
Foundation:May 2023
Chairman:Kenny Smith
Ideology:British nationalism
Ethnic nationalism
Position:Far-right
Slogan:"Family, Community, Homeland"
Split:Patriotic Alternative

The Homeland Party is a minor far-right, British nationalist political party in the United Kingdom. It was founded as a group in May 2023 by the activist Kenny Smith, and registered as a party in January 2024.[1]

Organisation

The Homeland Party was formed predominantly by Scottish members who had abandoned the far-right Patriotic Alternative (PA).[2] Its chairman is Kenny Smith, who founded it in May 2023.[3] He was previously the national administration officer for PA, and the head of administration and an unsuccessful electoral candidate for the British National Party (BNP).[4] [5] [6]

The party's other registered officers also have connections with PA. Jerome O'Reilly was reportedly the Welsh regional organiser[7] and Ant Burrows East Midlands regional organiser for the group.[8]

The group first attempted to register as a political party in May 2023, but its application was rejected in August 2023 for being incomplete.[9] [10] It was registered as a political party in January 2024.[11]

Political position

The group has been described as far-right by The National, although its official website rebuts the use of the term and states its perspective on nationalism, emphasising self-determination, sovereignty and the principle of a nation-state based on ancestry.[12]

Election results

2024

!Council!Ward!Candidate!Votes!%!Position!Finish
Hart DistrictHartley WintneyRodger Robertson[13] 35513.5%Hart District Councillor[14] 3rd

Connections to neo-Nazism and terrorism

The party's nominating officer, Anthony Burrows, was found in court to have shared links to terrorist material.[15] [16] Its founding members include former national officers, regional organisers and regional officers of PA.

In April 2023, Judge Manley ruled against Alec Cave, a prominent member of the party and the host for much of the party's video content, in an employment tribunal relating to comments made by him about the actor John Boyega.[17] In her ruling Judge Manley said of Cave's views, "This is not just a belief that is shocking, offensive or disturbing to others, though it may well be all those things. It is a belief that, in at least some respects, is akin to Nazism."[18]

In October 2023, it was reported that David Gardner, a member of the party and treasurer of Forfar Community Council, had made racist and antisemitic comments and had taken part in a neo-Nazi chat group under a pseudonym.[19] [20] Garden responded to the article, describing it as a "hit piece".[21]

Later in October 2023, it was reported that James Munro, a member of the party, had been involved in the neo-Nazi group Scottish Nationalist Society.[22] The party responded that "Munro had been involved as a disenfranchised teenager but has since grown up".

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-05-19 . Leading Scottish writers and actors back anti-racism rally outside Erskine hotel . 2023-06-26 . The National .
  2. News: Mackay . Neil . Neil Mackay . 7 May 2023 . How UK far right extremists have been shattered by a Scottish-led rebellion . 27 May 2023 . The Herald . 27 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527040715/https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/23505742.uk-far-right-extremists-shattered-scottish-rebellion/ .
  3. News: Morrison . Hamish . 24 April 2023 . New far-right party 'eyeing power' following split from Patriotic Alternative . 27 May 2023 . The National . 27 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527041855/https://www.thenational.scot/news/23477488.patriotic-alternative-split-results-dangerous-homeland-group/ . live .
  4. News: Hume . Tim . 27 April 2023 . 'Dangerous': The UK’s Most Powerful Fascist Group Has Just Split in Two . 27 May 2023 . Vice . 27 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527041854/https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5yqgx/patriotic-alternative-split-homeland . live .
  5. News: Taylor . Matthew . Cobain . Ian . Evans . Rob . 2007-02-03 . Revealed: the front organisation set up by BNP members to raise money in the US . The Guardian . 2023-05-27 . 0261-3077 . 27 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527162242/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/feb/03/partyfunding.thefarright . live .
  6. News: Billy . Briggs . 22 March 2023 . Patriotic Alternative Scotland voices support for man who pleaded guilty to terror charges . 27 May 2023 . . 27 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527043454/https://theferret.scot/patriotic-alternative-scotland-support-terrorist/ . live .
    - News: 2023-02-01 . Far-right extremists attempt 'hijack' of protest against asylum seeker hotel . 2023-05-27 . The National . 27 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527161418/https://www.thenational.scot/news/23291724.right-wing-patriotic-alternative-group-plan-target-erskine-hotel/ . live .
  7. News: Shipton . Martin . 2023-08-30 . Neo-nazi worked for Welsh exam body WJEC . Nation.Cymru . 2024-02-15 .
  8. News: Davis . Gregory . Lawrence . David . 2021-11-26 . Patriotic Alternative: Britain's Fascist Threat . Hope Not Hate . 2024-02-15 .
  9. Web site: 19 July 2023 . FOI 077-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230817164233/https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-07/FOI%20077-23%20Response_Redacted.pdf . 17 August 2023 . 17 August 2023 . Electoral Commission . 95.
  10. Web site: Party registration decisions . https://web.archive.org/web/20230817164542/https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/party-registration-applications/party-registration-decisions . 17 August 2023 . 17 August 2023 . Electoral Commission.
  11. Web site: Registration summary - Homeland Party . The Electoral Commission . 1 February 2024.
  12. Web site: Party Policy . 5 November 2023 . Homeland Party.
  13. Web site: Councillor joins the Homeland Party . 2024-05-04 . Homeland Party.
  14. Web site: district election . 2024-05-04 . Hart Council.
  15. Web site: Registration summary - Homeland Party . The Electoral Commission . 2024-02-14 .
  16. News: 2023-08-29 . Man's alleged links to far-right group see shotgun appeal fail . 2024-02-14 . The Derby Telegraph . Martin Naylor . 0307-1235.
  17. News: Murrer . Sally . 2023-05-22 . Right-wing 'English nationalist' loses discrimination case after being sacked by Open University in Milton Keynes over tweet to Star Wars actor . Milton Keynes Citizen . 2024-02-16 .
  18. Web site: A. Cave v The Open University . 2023-05-26 . 2024-02-16.
  19. News: Mann . Jamie . 2023-10-15 . Far right Homeland activists gain Scottish community councils seats . The Ferret . 2024-02-16 .
  20. News: Mann . Jamie . 2023-10-15 . Politicians urge probes into councillors over far-right allegations . The National . 2024-02-16 .
  21. Web site: Democracy – but only for the left . 2023-10-15 . 2024-02-16 . Homeland Party.
  22. News: Mann . Jamie . 2023-10-29 . Former Scots neo-Nazi group member involved in Homeland . The Ferret . 2024-02-16 .

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