A former neo‑Nazi who had been selected by the Conservative Party to stand in a local council election has withdrawn his candidacy after a strong public and political backlash.
Joshua Bonehill‑Paine, who was jailed in 2015 for publishing antisemitic material connected to a planned neo‑Nazi rally and later convicted in 2016 of racially harassing then‑Labour MP Luciana Berger, had been chosen to contest the new Somerset Council seat of Crewkerne South. He served three years in prison and was released in 2018. Bonehill‑Paine has described his past views as indefensible and says he has worked against antisemitism since leaving prison.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch defended his selection at the time, arguing the party supports rehabilitation and second chances. After criticism from Jewish groups, political opponents and survivors of hate, Bonehill‑Paine announced he would step aside as a council candidate. He also said he had been offered a role advising the Conservative Party’s Culture and Integration Commission on preventing the radicalisation of young men and would take up that position instead.
In posts on social media, Bonehill‑Paine said continuing as a candidate would lead opponents to focus on his past rather than his current work, and that his experience could be better used supporting efforts to tackle antisemitism and extremism.
The decision to select him had prompted Jewish organisations to decline a meeting with the party and drew criticism from Baroness Luciana Berger, who said he should be barred from standing for public office. Reform UK also criticised Badenoch’s move to appoint him as an adviser, saying the decision was alarming for the Jewish community.
Badenoch said she regretted that Bonehill‑Paine felt he would not be given space to explain his position and represent his community, but welcomed his commitment to work with the party on tackling radicalisation, arguing that people who have renounced extremism can help prevent it.