Ex neo-Nazi activist withdraws as Tory election candidate
Joshua Bonehill-Paine pulls out of the Somerset Council race following a severe backlash over his past convictions for antisemitic harassment.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Joshua Bonehill-Paine has withdrawn his candidacy for the Somerset Council local election.
- He previously served prison time for posting antisemitic material and harassing former MP Luciana Berger.
- Tory leader Kemi Badenoch initially defended his selection, stating her party believes in second chances.
- Bonehill-Paine has instead accepted a role as an anti-extremism adviser within the Conservative Party.
British politics has experienced a fresh controversy as Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a former neo-Nazi selected by the Conservative Party to fight a local council election next year, decided to step down from his candidacy following intense public backlash over his past.
Bonehill-Paine was previously convicted in 2016 of racially harassing then-Labour MP Luciana Berger—who now sits as Baroness Berger in the House of Lords—while already serving a separate jail sentence for distributing antisemitic posts online. Prior to that, he spent three years behind bars after being jailed in 2015 for posting hate material ahead of a planned neo-Nazi rally.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had previously defended the decision to field him as a candidate for the new Somerset Council seat of Crewkerne South, arguing that he had successfully rehabilitated himself and that her party firmly believes in second chances.
Despite the defense, the selection sparked massive political outrage, with Jewish groups declining offers to meet with the party representatives. In response to the mounting pressure, Bonehill-Paine announced his withdrawal, stating via social media that his experiences would be better utilized supporting Kemi Badenoch's ongoing mission against extremism.
"If we are going to stop extremism and antisemitism we are going to need help from those people who were part of the problem, but have now changed and are being part of the solution."
Kemi Badenoch
This development highlights the delicate political tightrope opposition and governing parties must walk when balancing rehabilitation initiatives for former offenders with public trust and community sensitivities, especially regarding hate crimes and prejudice.
Following his withdrawal, Bonehill-Paine has been offered a position as an anti-extremism adviser to the Conservative Party's Culture and Integration Commission. His new role will focus on preventing young men from becoming radicalized, drawing on his background of delivering seminars and training sessions across schools, colleges, and probation services.
Source: BBC Politics
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