The Conservative Party is offering Jewish communal groups a meeting with Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a local council election candidate who was previously imprisoned for neo-Nazi activities. Despite widespread backlash, leader Kemi Badenoch is defending the nomination, stating her party supports providing individuals with a path to redemption. Bonehill-Paine, who is running for a seat on Somerset Council in 2027, claims he has abandoned his prior radical beliefs and now participates in counter-extremism work.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has formally requested that the Conservatives revoke his candidacy, describing the selection as incomprehensible. In response, the party has invited the Board, the Jewish Leadership Council, and Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis to discuss their grievances with the candidate directly. Bonehill-Paine’s criminal history includes jail time for circulating antisemitic content and racially harassing Luciana Berger, a former MP and current member of the House of Lords. Berger has strongly condemned the decision, noting that his past actions involving racist and misogynistic harassment continue to affect her.
Bonehill-Paine maintains that his personal transformation began following the murder of MP Jo Cox and subsequent involvement in a de-radicalisation program. While Badenoch claims he is actively working to repair the harm he caused, members of the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties have criticized the selection as disgraceful and have demanded an explanation regarding his fitness for public office.
