Airbnb’s business practices in the West Bank have long been in the spotlight, prompting criticism from human rights campaigners. We can now reveal that the firm has lobbied the Scottish Government 52 times since 2018.
The residents of Umm al-Khair in the West Bank were already reeling from the loss of community leader and English teacher Awdah Hathaleen. Now they are fighting a mass demolition order on their homes. Human rights organisations say it’s become a symbol of the struggles of life under occupation.
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council monitors standards at Scottish fish farms to help consumers choose “environmentally and socially responsible” farmed seafood. But it showcased a farm that had breached its rules on sea lice 11 times.
The white nationalist group, Homeland, deemed Britain’s “most dangerous” UK far right organisation by anti-fascists, has applied to become a political party.
The group has made an application to the Electoral Commission under the name Homeland Party, which is currently under review.
The commission said it could not comment on ongoing applications but would “assess whether the party’s constitution and membership policy would breach equalities law”.
An anti-hate charity said Homeland’s registration bid was an attempt to create a “veneer of legitimacy”.
We reported how Kenny Smith, a former British National Party (BNP) Scottish organiser and election candidate – who lives in Skye – led a breakaway faction to form Homeland after the fracturing of PA.
The revelations were detailed in a report by the anti-fascist group, Red Flare, which branded Homeland as the “most dangerous group on the British far right”.
The Ferret understands the split was owed to a fallout between Smith and PA’s leader Mark Collett, also a former BNP figurehead. Smith and allies were apparently frustrated by PA’s repeated failure to gain registration as a political party, as well as a focus on online, rather than real-life activism.
This is the second split within a month at PA, according to anti-fascist magazine, Searchlight, after one member, who styles himself on Adolf Hitler, broke away to form a military style splinter group, the National Support Detachment.
Earlier in May, we reported that the man is billed as a keynote speaker in a rally in Elgin on 17 June by the extremist Highland Division – yet another PA splinter group.
Last year The Ferret gained access to a private chat group which included Smith and a man who shared a picture of a weapons collection, which included a knife emblazoned with a Nazi swastika. Smith used the chat group to recruit the man – who later left to form Highland Division – to PA Scotland.
Smith left PA Scotland in April and is now chairman of Homeland.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Extremist far right organisations such as Homeland sometimes try to give themselves a veneer of legitimacy by registering as political parties, but the British electorate consistently sees through them. We will continue to monitor the activities of these fringe groups and expose their true nature.”
The Electoral Commission said all applications to register a political party were “subject to detailed assessment”and had to comply with electoral law, “as well as legal obligations under equality laws”.
“Voters can also comment on a particular name, description or emblem as part of our assessment process,” a spokesperson added. “Views can be submitted on this page of our website. We will publish the details of decisions taken each month.”
Homeland told The Ferret it was “focused on political change through peaceful and democratic means”. “Kenny Smith has consistently guided people into a sensible community politics approach, which is explained further in a recent interview with Alec Cave,” said a spokesperson.
“Trying to link us through degrees of separation to people who do not share our views, methods and standards is indicative of your desire to smear political opponents.”
This article was updated at 9:47 on 31 May to include a response from Homeland.
Airbnb’s business practices in the West Bank have long been in the spotlight, prompting criticism from human rights campaigners. We can now reveal that the firm has lobbied the Scottish Government 52 times since 2018.
The residents of Umm al-Khair in the West Bank were already reeling from the loss of community leader and English teacher Awdah Hathaleen. Now they are fighting a mass demolition order on their homes. Human rights organisations say it’s become a symbol of the struggles of life under occupation.
Following a sharp rise in far right activity, we’ve spent the last three months attending protests, speaking to activists under threat, and tracking anti-asylum seeker demonstrations across Scotland.
Migration's alleged link to increased crime has been back in the spotlight in recent years, so we looked at the evidence.
