Scottish Family Party
AbbreviationSFP
FounderRichard Lucas
LeaderRichard Lucas
ChairmanMichael Willis[1]
FoundedJuly 2017
Registered11 September 2017[2]
Split fromUKIP
Headquarters272 Bath Street
Glasgow
Scotland
G2 4JR
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing[9][10][11] to far-right[12]
Colours  Blue
Scottish Parliament
0 / 129
Local government in Scotland
0 / 1,227
Website
scottishfamily.org

The Scottish Family Party (SFP) is a socially conservative political party in Scotland.[4] It was formed in 2017[6] and is led by former UKIP member and school teacher Richard Lucas.[5][10]

The SFP contested their first seats in the 2019 UK general election, and also fielded candidates at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election and the 2022 Scottish local elections, but has never won any seats.[13][14]

Party ideology and policy

Social issues

When launched, the SFP said its "central goal" was to gain election to the Scottish Parliament and "to fill the void" left behind by the current parties and their abandoning of "Judeo-Christian-inspired values of traditional Western civilisation".[9] According to party leader Richard Lucas, they intend to be the party "to confront the cosy Holyrood consensus, interrupting the monochrome virtue-signalling that currently passes for debate in many areas".[15] It also aims to be a "pro-family, pro-marriage, pro-life, pro-freedom of speech, anti-identity politics, that values the complementary contributions of men and women and recommends schools refocus on education instead of social engineering, radical gender ideology and political moulding".[15] The SFP believes the “Gender Pay Gap” is by and large a reflection of the natural differences between men and women, and no government action is required to address it.[16]

Family

The SFP argues in favour of more autonomy for families whilst also demanding a crackdown on underage sex. Rather than allowing a pastoral and care-centric approach, the party would seek to police children aged 13–15 having sexual relations.[17] The SFP is against "vaguely defined" domestic abuse laws and believes people should be treated equally in this regardless of whether they are make or female. SFP recognises marriage as a "a solemn, lifelong commitment."[18][19] The SFP does not support the use of NHS resources for any fertility-related treatment apart from for a man and woman in a long-term stable relationship.[16]

Education

The SFP believes that education should increase its focus on "traditional focuses" of "discipline, knowledge, formal teaching, and objective testing."[20] They argue against the Curriculum for Excellence as it, "elevates subjective learner experience over teaching, undermining the intellectual authority of teachers, and uses student motivation and enjoyment as the measure of what is worth knowing."[20][19]

Lucas has spoken out against rainbow flags being displayed in schools.[5] The party is opposed to the inclusion of certain content in sex education such as LGBT and pornographic topics.[19] It supports education that includes the promotion of family planning and abstinence from alcohol use.[19]

Teachers in Scotland have raised concerns that party leader, Richard Lucas spreads misinformation about the sexual health curriculum. One teacher who spoke to The National newspaper linked SFP rhetoric to abuse of LGBT+ teachers. "They rejected the claim that young children are “being exposed to overtly sexualised material”, calling it 'misinformation' and linking it to incidents which they claimed have seen teachers called perverts or groomers in the street, abused as 'paedophiles' over the phone, or in the case of some LGBT+ teachers, forced out of the profession altogether".[21]

Controversies

In January 2023, Scottish Family Party Leader, Richard Lucas was interviewed by a prominent figure of the far-right hate group Patriotic Alternative Scotland (Simon Crane), a group targeted by government counter terrorism strategy. Crane also interviewed Scottish Family Party member and activist, Nial Fraser. Lucas said Crane used to be a member of the Scottish Family Party (SFP), but left “after discussions with myself led him to the conclusion that PA reflected his ethno-nationalist political stance while the SFP did not.” Lucas added that he takes “any opportunity to present the SFP to a new audience” and would “probably” speak to PA again.[22]

Scottish Family Party activist Nial Fraser announced in late August 2023 that he would be contesting Margaret Ferrier’s MP seat in Rutherglen and Hamilton West. According to the Daily Record “Fraser appeared on a podcast by neo-Nazi group Homeland on which he described covid as “bogus” and said: “I didn’t follow any lockdowns.” Georgie Laming, campaign director at charity Hope Not Hate, said: “Niall Fraser and the Scottish Family Party say they’re standing up for traditional family values, however the truth is very sinister. We’ve found they’re cosying up to fascist group Homeland”.[23]

In August 2017, Lucas defended comments that compared same-sex marriage to incest.[9] Additionally, he denied that he had posted a joke about the murder of Jo Cox shortly after her death.[9]

In February 2021, after being cleared of any misconduct, the General Teaching Council for Scotland were criticised after allowing Lucas, a registered teacher, to keep his job after making homophobic comments about Ruth Davidson in a video posted online.[24]

The party submitted a complaint concerning a school celebration in East Lothian as part of LGBT History Month in February 2020.[25] HappyFest celebrated LGBT arts (including drag, theatre, poetry, dance, and music) at Dunbar Grammar School, but the SFP claimed that the acts promoted "a philosophy of gender fluidity that is confusing and dangerous to young people" and that "the drag scene is often associated with less than positive values."[25] A spokesperson for the East Lothian Council denied this, stating that they "strongly refute any suggestion that we 'promote a philosophy' that is 'confusing and dangerous to young people'."[25] The Council spokeswoman went on to comment, "HappyFest is organised to raise awareness and challenge prejudice. It's a community event that celebrates creative expression and the arts."[25]

According to The Ferret, Lucas was revealed on 27 July 2020 to have breached electoral law by failing to submit a record of his personal campaign spending after running in the 2019 general election.[26]

On 29 August 2022, the SFP tweeted a picture of Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outside Auschwitz, with a cartoon-like thought bubble reading: "There should have been a buffer zone around this place." Green MSP Gillian Mackay, a leading campaigner for buffer zones around abortion clinics targeted by anti-abortion protesters, described the meme as "crass, insensitive and shameful". She said: "The Scottish Family Party are a disgraceful and extreme party that has been rejected time and again by the people of Scotland. Even by their standards, this is appalling."[3]

SFP were referenced in the 2022 Hope Not Hate 'State of Hate Report'. Hope Not Hate state that the party spread "an increasing amount of anti-trans and anti-LGBT+ campaign material and content on its social media, arguing that “Transgender Ideology” is damaging and “confusing children”. However, the party also opposes protections for children and argues that parents should be allowed to beat their children, and it opposes the “UN Convention on the Rights of the Child”, saying this undermines the rights of parents. The SFP also opposes hate crime legislation".[27]

The party was criticised when Richard Lucas publicised plans to protest at a sexual health clinic in Sandyford, Glasgow as of November 2022.[14] During the protest in March 2023, Lucas branded abortion providers at the clinic "Killers".[28] The BBC reported that the ‘small group’ of Scottish Family Party campaigners were outnumbered by a larger counter demonstration.[29]

In October and December 2022, the party held protests at the Scottish Parliament opposing reform to the Gender Recognition Act.[8][30] At the protest, Lucas was interviewed on camera by Simon Crane, the organiser of the far right hate group Patriotic Alternative Scotland. A Scottish Greens spokesperson said: "Patriotic Alternative is an extreme and hateful group that peddles misinformation and prejudice. The fact that they would want to speak to and promote the Scottish Family Party tells us everything we need to know about both of them."[31][32]

Electoral history

The SFP fielded two candidates in the 2019 United Kingdom general election: Liam McKechnie in Dunbartonshire East, and Richard Lucas in Ross, Skye & Lochaber. Neither won the contested seat.[33] The party contested the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.[34] They then received 2,734 constituency votes and 16,085 list votes, but won no seats.[35] It also contested the 2022 Scottish local elections, fielding 84 candidates[36] [6] and gaining 6,857 first-preference votes (0.4% of the total vote) but again winning no seats.[37]

Westminster

Election By-election Rank Notes
Votes %
2023 Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election 319 1.0 Steady 7th They finished 7th out of 14 candidates.

Scottish Parliament

Election Regional Total seats +/– Rank Government
Votes  % Seats
2021 16,085 0.59
0 / 56
0 / 129
 Steady 9th Not in parliament

Local elections

Election Local Seats Rank Notes
Votes %
2022 6,857 0.4
0 / 1,227
 Steady 8th

References

  1. ↑ Scottish Family Party (23 April 2020). "Challenging feminism and paying the price: Neil Lyndon interview". Retrieved 8 January 2023 – via YouTube.
  2. ↑ "View registration". The Electoral Commission.
  3. 1 2 3 Herald Scotland Online (29 August 2022). "Scottish Family Party blasted for 'shameful' holocaust 'joke'". The Herald. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Scottish election 2021: Family Party propose council tax cuts for parents". BBC News. 14 April 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Geddes, Jonathan (14 April 2022). "Political party standing in Lanarkshire accused of 'extremist' right wing views". Daily Record. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 "Scottish Family Party to focus on education in council elections". BBC News. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "Manifesto". Scottish Family Party.
  8. 1 2 Garton-Crosbie, Abbi (27 October 2022). "Anti-LGBT protesters at Scottish Parliament drowned out by chants of 'trans joy'". The National. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Learmonth, Andrew (19 August 2017). "New 'Scottish Family Party' leader defends Jo Cox joke and comparison of same-sex marriage and incest". The National. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  10. 1 2 McMorran, Caroline (7 March 2021). "North west Sutherland man is list candidate for Scottish Family Party in Holyrood election". Northern Times. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  11. ↑ Hansford, Amelia (1 March 2023). "'Far-right' group planning to 'brick up' UK clinic over trans care and abortion". PinkNews. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Scottish Family Party blasted for 'shameful' holocaust 'joke'". The Herald. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "Known candidates for each ballot in the UK Parliament elections". Democracy Club Candidates. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  14. 1 2 Elliards, Xander (10 November 2022). "'Disgusting': Scottish Family Party plans protest at Sandyford Clinic". The National. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  15. 1 2 Lucas, Richard (18 August 2017). "Agenda: Confronting the cosy Holyrood consensus". The Herald. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  16. 1 2 https://scottishfamily.org/downloads/SFP-Manifesto-2021.pdf
  17. ↑ "Supporting Families – Family Autonomy". Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  18. ↑ "Supporting Families – Family Relationships". Scottish Family Party. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Amery, Rachel (13 April 2021). "Scottish Election 2021: Your guide to the country's smaller political parties". The Courier. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  20. 1 2 "Reforming Education – Schools". Scottish Family Party. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  21. ↑ "Row after feminist group director appears at 'festival of hate'". The National. December 4, 2022.
  22. ↑ Mann, Jamie (19 January 2023). "Scottish Family Party leader slammed for far right interview". theferret.scot. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  23. ↑ Rodger, Hannah (2023-09-03). "Extremist who told the First Minister to f**k off now wants to be an MP". Daily Record. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  24. ↑ McLaughlin, Mark (17 February 2021). "Head of Robert Gordon's College says Ruth Davidson teacher 'unfit'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Council depends HappyFest after anti-LGBT campaigners attack Dunbar Grammar School event". East Lothian Courier. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  26. ↑ Mann, Jamie (27 July 2020). "Revealed: Scottish Family Party leader breached electoral law". The Ferret. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  27. ↑ "STATE OF HATE 2021 – Backlash, Conspiracies & Confrontation". HOPE not hate. 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  28. ↑ McEwen, Alan (2023-03-03). "Sexual health clinic branded 'killers' by Scots extremist group leader". Daily Record. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  29. ↑ "Hundreds join sexual health clinic counter-protest". BBC News. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  30. ↑ Simons, Ned (22 December 2022). "UK Government Could Try And Block Scotland's Gender Recognition Bill". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  31. ↑ Mann, Jamie (19 January 2023). "Scottish Family Party leader slammed for far right interview". The Ferret. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  32. ↑ Suter, Ruth; Fleming, Keiran (March 2, 2023). "Glasgow clinic targeted by anti-abortion group who threaten to 'brick it up'". GlasgowLive.
  33. ↑ "2019 General Election: Scottish Family Party". Bloomberg. 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  34. ↑ Brown, Hannah (5 May 2021). "The 20 smaller parties running in the Scottish Election including Abolish the Scottish Parliament Party and Alba". The Scotsman.
  35. ↑ https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9230/CBP-9230.pdf
  36. ↑ Crow, Alan (2 May 2022). "Election 2022: Scottish Family Party contests 14 wards across Fife". Fife Today.
  37. ↑ "LE22: The Headline Results". Ballot Box Scotland. 7 May 2022.
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