A leading figure from a powerful US Christian legal group, which played a key role in drafting Donald Trump's religious freedom policies, is currently undertaking a significant tour of the UK, The Independent can reveal.
Kristen Waggoner, the CEO and President of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), is meeting with MPs, peers, and faith leaders in Westminster. The ADF, designated as an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group by a leading civil rights organisation, is increasingly focusing its efforts on Europe.
From US Supreme Court to UK Influence
The ADF's influence in the United States is substantial. The group was instrumental in the landmark Supreme Court case that overturned the federal right to abortion. It also successfully argued the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, which involved a baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a gay couple.
Waggoner herself has argued 15 cases before the US Supreme Court. Her visit underscores a strategic pivot towards influencing law and policy on this side of the Atlantic.
"Exporting the Culture War"
Critics have voiced serious concerns about the ADF's UK agenda. Human rights campaigners warn that the organisation seeks to "export the American culture war" and undermine existing equality protections.
They point to the ADF's history of supporting the criminalisation of homosexuality in other countries and its opposition to same-sex marriage as evidence of an ideology that is at odds with mainstream British values.
A spokesman for the ADF stated that their work in the UK is focused on "advancing the fundamental freedoms of speech, religion, and parental rights." They emphasised their desire to support individuals they believe are being marginalised for their religious beliefs.
Lobbying Efforts in Westminster
The specifics of Waggoner's meetings remain private, but the tour highlights the ongoing activity of well-funded international lobbying groups within the UK's political sphere. The ADF has previously supported legal challenges in British courts and provides training and resources to activists.
This development raises pressing questions about the influence of foreign organisations on domestic policy and the future of the UK's legal framework surrounding religion, speech, and equality.
