STOP HATE
Borders, immigration levels and enforcement are legitimate political issues. They can be debated firmly and honestly. Attacking a British citizen because of the country in which they were born is something very different.
Before anything else, understand the politics
This is what Kai Stephens has chosen to represent
Kai Stephens is not standing as an independent protest candidate. He is the British Democrats’ Norfolk organiser and their candidate in Clacton. The clearest way to understand the politics he represents is to read the British Democrats’ own published words.
The British Democrats explicitly reject “civic nationalism”, which they define as the belief that anyone can be British. Their published principles call for the “ethnocultural unity” of the British nation. Their immigration policy says nationality is acquired by descent rather than legal citizenship, and their principles call for Race Relations and “Hate Crime” laws to be repealed.
Not everyone can be British
The party says it is not “civic nationalist” and defines civic nationalism as the belief that anyone can be British.
Official party source“Ethnocultural unity”
Its principles say Britain should restore the “ethnocultural unity of the British nation” and argue that a viable society should have similar ethnicity and cultural heritage.
Official party sourceNationality by descent
Its immigration policy says nationality is acquired by descent and argues that citizenship has been wrongly bestowed on people it does not regard as British nationals.
Official party policyRepeal race laws
The party lists repeal of Race Relations and “Hate Crime” laws among what it calls essential legislation.
Official party sourceThis is why the exchange with Attieh matters. Stephens is an organiser and candidate for a party whose published ideology makes ethnicity, ancestry and descent central to its definition of British identity. That is materially different from simply arguing that immigration is too high or Britain’s borders should be better controlled.
I am happy to debate immigration. I am not prepared to accept the idea that a British citizen has a lesser claim to this country because she was born in Iran.
The contradiction over his own ancestry
There was another revealing moment after the hustings. I was told by candidates who were present that, when Kai Stephens was challenged about his own ancestry, he said that he was around 20% German.
If that account is accurate, the contradiction is difficult to ignore. Stephens is apparently comfortable regarding himself as British despite having German ancestry, yet he represents a party that makes ancestry and descent central to its definition of British identity and had just challenged Attieh Fard, a British citizen, over her Iranian background.
Having foreign ancestry does not make Kai Stephens any less British. That is precisely the point. Britishness cannot sensibly be treated as something one person is entitled to define for himself while denying the same acceptance to another British citizen because her family background is different.
This account is attributed to candidates who were present after the event. It is not presented here as an independently verified quotation from Stephens.
What I witnessed
A line was crossed at the hustings
Political candidates should challenge each other’s policies, records and arguments. What I witnessed at the Clacton hustings was not, in my view, ordinary political disagreement.
On 6 August 2026, I attended the Clacton parliamentary by-election hustings alongside Attieh Fard, Kai Stephens and other candidates.
My recollection is that Kai Stephens directed remarks at Attieh which focused on her Iranian background and challenged her place in Britain. I called the comments out immediately and described them as disgusting and disgraceful.
Attieh responded with remarkable composure. She explained that she is a British citizen and proud to be British. She also explained why talk of sending her to Iran was not an abstract debating point for her, saying that returning to Iran could place her life in danger.
In my view, the exchange appeared deliberate rather than an accidental or off-hand choice of words. The exact wording of the exchange should be judged from any available recording or transcript, rather than exaggerated or reconstructed after the event.
Candidates speaking out
Martyn OBrien and Attieh Fard
Racism, bigotry and bullying should not be tolerated anywhere, and they have absolutely no place in an election campaign. I was present when Kai Stephens made his comments to Attieh Fard. I regarded those comments as racist, offensive and completely unacceptable. In my view, the exchange appeared deliberate rather than simply an off-hand remark. I challenged him immediately because political debate should never descend into attacking a British citizen because of where they were born.
Martyn OBrien, 7 August 2026
Politics should be about making our communities better and not targeting each other based on ethnicity or race. It is about service not about ruling.This by-election should be about the residents of Clacton and not who is superior in authority. If the rule of law matters, then a British citizen’s rights should be respected, whether they are first generation, second generation or third generation migrants. At a time that our country and communities need safety and security, a political platform was used for personal attacks based on race. Whilst on a personal level, I am trying to forgive the individual, I believe the policies and ideologies behind his words should be tackled robustly as otherwise we could witness what happened in Germany in the mid twentieth century once again and this country said at the time Never Again.
Statement supplied to Martyn OBrien on 7 August 2026Documented political background
What the public record actually shows
There is no need to rely on rumours or anonymous social media claims. Stephens’ current party, his own political biography, organisations he has previously been involved with, and mainstream reporting provide a documented record.
Official party source
British Democrats Norfolk organiser
In February 2026 the British Democrats announced new branches and identified Kai Stephens as its Norfolk organiser. The photograph above is published by the party itself.
Current candidate
Standing as an explicitly nationalist candidate
In his published statement to Clacton voters, Stephens presents the British Democrats as the serious nationalist choice and puts particular emphasis on the party being nationalist.
The party rejects civic nationalism
The British Democrats state that they are not civic nationalists. Their published principles call for restoring what they describe as the ethnocultural unity of the British nation and include proposals to repeal race relations and hate crime laws.
Their immigration policy also argues that citizenship should be connected to ancestry and nationality, rather than treating legal citizenship alone as defining who is British.
Patriotic Alternative, then Homeland
A current biography published by nationalist outlet Outpost Media says Stephens began as an activist with Patriotic Alternative under the online alias Barkley Walsh and later helped build the Norfolk branch of the Homeland Party.
Patriotic Alternative’s own website separately records Barkley Walsh as one of its activists in Norwich. This provides primary-source confirmation of that earlier involvement.
Patriotic Alternative’s own record
Patriotic Alternative published material about a young activist using the name Barkley Walsh, including activity in Norwich. In a later response to a Channel 4 documentary, the organisation again discussed Barkley Walsh and defended his involvement with the group.
Homeland and the Epping protests
The Guardian reported Stephens at a 2025 Epping asylum-hotel protest as Homeland’s Norfolk branch organiser and quoted him saying that the interests of “indigenous British people” should be put first.
The Times separately reported that Stephens had published videos explaining how repeated demonstrations could put financial pressure on authorities through policing costs. Homeland denied allegations that it was fascist or extremist and said it operated lawfully and democratically.
What this evidence does and does not show
Political associations do not automatically prove every allegation made about an individual. That is why this page relies on Stephens’ documented roles, his own political biography, his party’s published principles and attributed reporting. It does not present rumours, dropped allegations or anonymous social media claims as fact.
A better argument
Immigration can be managed without racism
Britain is entitled to control its borders and decide who can enter and remain. We can demand competent enforcement while still treating people as individuals and recognising that British citizens belong here, whatever their country of birth.
Firm immigration policy can mean
- Secure borders and properly resourced enforcement.
- Faster, competent asylum and immigration decisions.
- Enforcing visa conditions and immigration law consistently.
- Removing people who have no lawful right to remain after due process.
- Dealing properly with foreign national offenders within the law.
- Planning housing, healthcare and public services around realistic population levels.
It does not require
- Treating British citizens as foreigners because they were born abroad.
- Judging a person’s loyalty or worth from their ethnicity.
- Humiliating an individual to make a political point.
- Telling fellow citizens that they do not belong in their own country.
- Turning legitimate concerns about immigration into hostility towards people.
- Using an election platform to bully or intimidate another candidate.
Was a criminal offence committed?
That is for the police to decide
I am not declaring this a hate crime.
I do not know whether the legal threshold for any criminal offence was crossed, and I will not pretend to make that determination myself. I believe the incident was serious enough for Essex Police to review the available recording, the exact words used and the circumstances in which they were said.
On 7th August 2026, I sent a complaint to Essex Police asking them to consider the incident and determine whether any offence had been committed.
My political judgement is separate from the criminal law. In my view, the behaviour I witnessed was unacceptable from someone asking the public to trust them with elected office.
Check the evidence yourself
Sources
Serious claims should be verifiable. These are the principal sources used for the documented background above.
British Democrats: New Teams, New Targets
Official party article identifying Kai Stephens as Norfolk organiser, February 2026.
British Democrats: Statement of Principles
Official party statement covering nationalism, ethnicity, citizenship and race relations law.
British Democrats: Immigration Policy
Official policy page setting out the party’s position on ancestry, nationality and citizenship.
Outpost Media: Kai Stephens biography
Nationalist outlet biography recording his earlier involvement with Patriotic Alternative and Homeland.
Patriotic Alternative: response to Channel 4 Dispatches
Primary source discussing the activist identity Barkley Walsh and his involvement with the organisation.
The Guardian: Epping asylum hotel protests
July 2025 report identifying Stephens with Homeland and recording his comments at the protest.
The Times: migrant hotel protest strategy
July 2025 report on Homeland protests and videos attributed to Stephens.
British Democrats: “Authentic Radical Ethno-Nationalism”
March 2026 article by the party’s deputy chairman describing its purpose as an “Ethno-State” with a super-majority of Anglo-Celtic natives.
Clacton.org: all 34 candidates
Our candidate comparison and links to available candidate profiles.
Right of reply
Kai Stephens is welcome to respond to Martyn’s account of the hustings or to identify any factual error in the sourced background on this page. Clacton.org will correct genuine factual errors and will publish or fairly summarise any substantive response.
This invitation does not require agreement with the opinions expressed on this page. It exists so readers can see the evidence and any response to it.