An Angus community councillor and member of the far right Homeland Party has been accused of “abhorrent racism” for arguing that black politicians and footballers are “clearly not” British.
David Gardner, the treasurer of Forfar Community Council, made the comments in videos posted on Homeland’s social media channels in October, prompting a local MSP to call for his dismissal as a councillor.
In his video, Gardner took aim at UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, Conservative Party leadership candidate, Kemi Badenoch, and England footballers Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka, all of whom were born in Britain.
An accompanying post also named the former first minister, Humza Yousaf, and former prime minister, Rishi Sunak, who are also UK-born.
This is not the first time that Gardner’s comments have attracted criticism, however. His community council last year said it was “shocked” by Gardner’s association with a far right group, and promised an internal probe.
Local MP Dave Doogan wrote to the head of Angus Council after an exposé by The Ferret, calling for an investigation. Gardner has remained a councillor, however.
In light of Gardner’s latest comments, a Scottish Labour MSP accused the Homeland member of “abhorrent racism”. It was “hard to see” why the community council had allowed the far right activist to remain a member, he argued, and urged it to take “swift, decisive action”.
Gardner claimed his comments were “not about race, but ethnicity and in-group preference”. He accused Labour of “anti-democratic extremism” and attempting to “shut down any debate from anyone daring to voice an opinion in support of the ethnic English, Scots, and Welsh and their right to a homeland”.
‘Clearly not British’
In one video, Gardner said: “…we have to pretend that David Lammy and Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke – that these people are both British, or English, and both the Tories and Labour will tell you that these people are just as British as you, bro. They’re not. They’re clearly not.”
Both politicians “can represent their ethnic group’s interests, much like Rishi Sunak and Humza Yousaf did, and yet establishment parties, MPs, media talking heads and their supporters will tell you they’re as British, English or Scottish as you,” text accompanying the video added.
In another, he referenced complaints made by some, including Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, that German football manager, Thomas Tuchel, had been appointed England manager.
“Interestingly, none of these people say the same thing about Bukayo Saka, who’s played for us or Eddie Nketiah, or any number of the Africans that are playing for the England team,” Gardner continued.
“This is ridiculous. Football needs to be, in its current form, resigned to the bin. It saps patriotism and tribalism out of men, and it makes them forget what’s actually going on in the world. They’ll choose not to believe certain things. They’ll choose to go down certain routes because X sports ball player plays for their team.”
Gardner’s previous comments
In a blog post last year, Gardner referenced the then-UK Government’s plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, writing: “So a nation with statistically zero whites is too dangerous to send people to. I think we could be on to something here.”
A Forfar Community Council spokesperson last year said they were “shocked by the allegation that one of its new members has been associated with a far right organisation”, and promised to investigate.
Angus MP Dave Doogan branded previous allegations about Gardner “deeply concerning”. He wrote to the chief executive of Angus Council calling for a probe, and claimed membership of a far right group was “incompatible with the aims and ambitions of any community council”.
Homeland claims it is focussed on community politics and one of its key tactics has been to see members appointed to community councils. Gardner is one of three of the far right party’s members known to have served on Scottish community councils in recent years, all of whom have attracted controversy.
One member chaired Invergowrie and Kingoodie Community Council. Another sat on East Calder and District Community Council, and was an executive member of the West Lothian Joint Forum of Community Councils.
‘Abhorrent racism’
North East Scotland Labour MSP Michael Marra said: “This abhorrent racism has no place in our society. Extreme views vented online can also spill into the streets. We must be ever more vigilant at a time when our public debate is polarised and too often driven by hatred and suspicion.
“Following previous controversies, it is hard to see why this individual has been allowed to remain a councillor. The public rightly expect those representing them to be held to high standards.
“Forfar Community Council should take swift, decisive action and send a clear message that racism will not be tolerated in our communities.”
David Gardner said: “This is not about race, but ethnicity and in-group preference. Yet again, we see the R-word used vaguely to try to shut down any debate from anyone daring to voice an opinion in support of the ethnic English, Scots, and Welsh and their right to a homeland.
“While the politicians mentioned might be British citizens, that is something they can change on paper at any point. It is not racist to note that Badenoch, Lammy, Sunak, and Yousaf all have origins in ethnic groups that are not native to these isles, and that they have ALL worked in the interests of those ethnic groups.
“We have elected them to represent us and our interests, not the interests of people half a world away at our expense. Time and again, we have seen politicians weaponising their ethnic minority status to play the victim or unite a common ethnic group into a voting bloc to help win elections, while simultaneously using institutional power to deny the very existence of our ethnicity.”
Gardner argued that international football competitions were aimed to establish “which nation produces the best players”. He claimed he had been subjected to attempts to “deny my people an ethnic identity and a special place in the world, in a way that would never happen to anyone from an African nation, for example.”
He added that community councillors “are not required to hold a certain set of political views” and accused Labour of “anti-democratic extremism” for “trying to remove their opposition for holding a contrary opinion”.
Gardner’s response can be read in full, here. Forfar Community Council did not respond to a request to comment.
Header image credit: Homeland Party
I wish that any of the members of my own community council were listened to as Gardner appears to be, on any subject. ‘Politics’ however, does not belong in community politics.