Tories offer Jewish groups meeting with ex neo-Nazi activist candidate

The Conservative Party has presented an opportunity for Jewish community organizations to engage in a dialogue with their prospective council election candidate, Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who formerly held extremist views. Bonehill-Paine, currently a figure in the Tory party, served time in prison for neo-Nazi activism and has since acknowledged his past beliefs as "indefensible".

He now advocates against extremism and conducts counter-extremism sessions across the UK. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the largest organization representing Jews in the UK, along with the Jewish Leadership Council and Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, have vehemently opposed Bonehill-Paine's selection, deeming it "beyond belief".

Kemi Badenoch, the UK's Minister for Preventing Extremism and Online Harm, remains committed to supporting Bonehill-Paine, arguing that he is actively working to assist communities, including Jewish ones. Bonehill-Paine's selection as the Tory candidate for the Crewkerne South seat in Somerset Council for 2027 has drawn criticism from various political parties, including the Liberal Democrats and Labour, who have questioned his suitability for public office due to his past racist, misogynistic, and pornographic content.