It comes after an investigation by The New York Times detailed how the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) – a powerful US Christian conservative group behind efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade – has been quietly cultivating ties with Farage and his party.
The newspaper reports that the ADF’s British arm organised Farage’s testimony before US Congress last month and brokered meetings for him with senior Trump administration officials, using “free speech” as a shared cause.
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It also claimed that ADF has supplied the Trump administration with attack lines that cast the UK government as hostile to free speech.
Earlier this year, US vice president JD Vance claimed Scots who pray in their homes could be prosecuted after the recent introduction of buffer zones around Scottish abortion clinics.
The buffer zone legislation passed the Scottish Parliament in a historic moment last year, and sees anti-abortion protests within 200m of abortion service providers banned.
The law does not prohibit anyone from praying within their own homes, as Vance claimed.
Though Farage has typically avoided the abortion issue, he has recently echoed ADF talking points about restricting abortion limits.
Speaking at a news conference in May, said: “I am pro-choice, but I think it’s ludicrous, utterly ludicrous that we can allow abortion up to 24 weeks.”
The Scottish Greens have told The National that abortion rights are “not safe” with Reform UK.
(Image: PA)
The party’s co-leader Gillian Mackay (above) – who introduced the buffer zones bill – also said the reported links between ADF and Farage are “deeply concerning”.
“Abortion rights are not safe with Reform. These anti-choice groups have supported protests outside hospitals in Scotland, which have caused distress to staff and patients. That’s not free speech, that’s harassment and intimidation,” she told The National.
“That is why I introduced my safe access zones Act to give dignity, respect and protection to those people who need it most when accessing hospitals and clinics.”
Mackay added: “What has happened in the states since Roe vs Wade was overturned is utterly shocking, with many women finding themselves in totally avoidable life-threatening situations.”
“Reform and the ADF are trying to sow division and are treating essential healthcare as part of their narrow-minded culture war agenda.”
A spokesperson for ADF said: “ADF International is a registered charity and is non-politically partisan.
“While we don’t endorse any parties, we have engaged with UK parliamentarians from across the full political spectrum to advance our mission to protect everyone’s right to live and speak the truth. We are delighted to provide briefings on free speech to any political parties, including the Scottish Greens.
“We are both pro-free speech and pro-life, as we believe both of these internationally recognised human rights flow from the inherent dignity of each human person. As our legal cases show, a major focus of our work in Scotland and across Britain has been on free speech.
“When used to target silent prayer and consensual conversation, it is evident that ‘buffer zones’ violate the basic freedoms of expression and thought which belong to every person in a free society.”