My problem with The Homeland party.

As I was watching the video below that specifically focuses on the Homeland political party in the UK, I will write about this party in particular. There are of course numerous other parties that would be deemed as and even more controversial than the Homeland party.

It would be hypocritical and illogical for me to be against any party that advocates for the rights of its country and native citizens. I know these parties that promote sensible nationalism (words used by Kenny Smith who leads Homeland) exist all across the world. I don’t know how controversial they are considered elsewhere but in England, nationalism and patriotism have become dirty words. Words wrongly associated with racism.

Kenny Smith is keen to promote Homeland as a nationalist but non racist party. It’s just that based on my observations and given my recent experience in particular, I am skeptical when it comes to the vision of this party and I am also skeptical of other parties that one could say are like Homeland, in that they share a similar vision of this country. Whilst I agree that the United Kingdom has changed so much and has had its identity trodden upon by so called progressives who want the country to kowtow to the more vocal minorities, there has to be a very clear line between what is going to be considered acceptable treatment versus another form of reparations. I don’t want to keep seeing groups of people penalised, discriminated against and punished because they do not fit the demographic that our politicians want to favour.

Basically I, like you, have to advocate for my own safety and that of my daughter. I do not want to see continuous reactionary politics and behaviour via racism and discrimination of different groups of people, depending on the decade. I had hoped for fair play and fair treatment, not the shifting of resentment from one side to another in a sort of tit for tat, immature and angry way.

Resentment tends to build up in people so it takes really strong leadership and clear rules for society to not play identity politics and lump people together based purely on how they look. My husband also says that there are numerous Lotus Eaters videos (he watches the Podcast of the Lotus Eaters) where people comment that it’s not just Islamic ideology that is the problem, instead all South Asians are problematic to the United Kingdom. If you want to take identity politics further, it can easily go from South Asians to the scapegoating of all foreigners.

Whilst I don’t know what to make of Homeland, I do think and this applies to all parties, that they must be very firm, increasingly so I would argue, with regard to fair play. That means a party can advocate for its own specific causes, like empowering UK natives, provided they do not scapegoat all non natives. Kenny Smith says that anyone can join Homeland and has set up guidelines for etiquette and behaviour but what about the environment within the party? Also, what would it mean to be a member and how would you ensure that as a member you are safe when you go out leafletting, for example? There has to be a plan that does address how a party doesn’t just maintain a certain image (say that of sensible nationalism) but ensures it is one that avoids emotional tribalism.

This goes into the broader realm of politics. There is a safety, by comparison, with regard to mainstream parties like Labour, Conservatives and new contender, Reform. There has to be a responsibility for how a party’s members and followers interact in every day society, going beyond the conferences because there is a responsibility in the message you are teaching people. If the Homeland party takes a person under their wing and down the path of sensible nationalism as opposed to racism (which isn’t just saying racist things on X), then well and good because this is the path of education. However, based on the psychology of a vast amount of people who deal with politics on an emotional level, I do wonder how effective this strategy, that Kenny Smith talks of, will be.

For me, the fact that the Homeland party has numerous Brit natives, young women and men joining, when this is one of the two groups that have given me a hard time (probably because they are the most vital and aggressive), could very much be a bad thing. That is provided these people don’t become sensible and instead actually take the message they are hearing and become even more resentful. This makes the part of me that does worry for my own safety (and like I say my family’s also) go on high alert, as obviously I do have to advocate for myself, like everyone does for their own selves. In the end, our individual safety is prioritised above all else.

Thanks for reading.