The Homeland Party is a
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.[2][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]
The party defended a Scottish Labour councillor, Audrey Dempsey, who liked several tweets by the Homeland Party, which resulted in her suspension by Labour pending investigation. Dempsey later resigned from Labour.[15]
The party's nominating officer, Anthony Burrows, was found in court to have shared links to terrorist material.[16][17] 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,[18] in an employment tribunal relating to comments made by him about the actor
John Boyega.[19] 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."[20]
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.[21][22] Garden responded to the article, describing it as a "hit piece".[23]
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.[24] The party responded that "Munro had been involved as a disenfranchised teenager but has since grown up".[citation needed]
*
Co-operative Party candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party. †Sinn Féin have elected members and offices at Westminster, but as
abstentionists do not take their seats.