A FAR-RIGHT group which splintered from the “UK’s most dangerous” nationalist organisation has been registered with the election authorities despite formal objections.
Homeland, which formed as a result of a split from the hardline Patriotic Alternative group, successfully registered as a political party with the Electoral Commission at the end of last month.
It intends to stand candidates in Scotland, England and Wales, according to its submission with the elections and political finance watchdog and gave its address as a PO box registered in Kirknewton, West Lothian.
A number of people objected to its application to be recognised as an official political party, according to The Ferret.
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One person said it is an “extremist organisation” whose supporters “pose a threat to minority communities” in the UK.
Another objector pointed out that Anthony Burrows, the Homeland Party’s “nominating officer”, had three shotguns confiscated from his home in 2021 by Derbyshire Police, and that the seizure was in part due to him “sharing links to terrorist literature”.
The site also reported that the Home Office had previously contacted the Electoral Commission about an application from Patriotic Alternative to register as a political party.
Firearms charges
During a court case last year, Burrows attempted to defend identifying Adolf Hitler and the former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke as his political inspirations as “internet tomfoolery”, DerbyshireLive reported.
The party’s leader Kenny Smith is a former BNP member who was admonished by sheriff in 2022 after pleading guilty to firearms charges.
Homeland says advocates for nationalism based on “ethnic unity” and is opposed to immigration and multiculturalism.
Its members staged repeated protests in Erskine, Renfrewshire last year over the accommodation of asylum seekers in a hotel in the town.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told The Ferret: “It is obviously extremely concerning when a far-right group successfully obtains political party status, and even more so when this is achieved over formal objections.
“It shows how fringe groups are more organised than is often realised and underscores the very real risk of extremist ideology finding its way into mainstream politics.
“The influence of far-right propaganda will now not be limited to the internet and extremists’ meetings, but will extent to the ballot box as well. That should worry us all.”
Green MSP Maggie Chapman (above) added: “The Homeland Party is the latest incarnation of the far-right and reactionary politics of prejudice. They are not a legitimate political outfit.
“Time and again the people of Scotland have stood together and rejected the divisive and hateful politics of groups like Homeland, and we will do so again.”
Kenny Smith, chair of Homeland, told The Ferret: “During the registration process (with the [Electoral Commission]) the public can make comment on any application and extremist far-left element attempted to discredit us using the three degrees of separation method. Most, in our view, were timewasters peddling smears which just slowed the process down and nothing more.
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“I have a well-known reputation for warning those tempted by a wayward path to return to the straight and narrow. I have never condoned or encouraged violence.
“Anthony Burrows is an exceptional parish councillor without an extremist bone in his body. He continues to fight a civil action against Derbyshire Police who acted rashly after demonising him unfairly over harmless non-PC memes on Twitter.
“The Home Office communication with the Electoral Commission was based on reports from the much-discredited left-wing pressure group Hope Not Hate, which had absolutely nothing to do with terrorist threats.
“Maggie Chapman is one of the most and totalitarian politicians in Holyrood.”
An Electoral Commission spokesperson said: “We assessed this application against the criteria set out in law, including consideration of public comments submitted to us. Where all elements of an application are compliant, the commission must register the party.
They added: “The law prohibits individuals from being the registered party treasurer if they have been convicted of an electoral offence in the last five years. Other types of conviction or ruling do not prohibit an individual from registration as a party officer.
“We refused Patriotic Alternative’s applications to register as a political party as the party’s constitution and financial scheme were not compliant with the law.
“Homeland Party’s constitution and financial scheme were compliant. The Homeland Party application was for a separate entity and submitted a different structure that was compliant with the law.”
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