{
  "id": 155039,
  "title": "Tories offer Jewish groups meeting with ex neo-Nazi activist candidate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/tories-offer-jewish-groups-meeting-with-ex-neo-nazi-activist-candidate",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-05T02:03:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1l1q6167d3o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "Joshua Bonehill-Paine was jailed over neo-Nazi activism, but has been selected to stand in a new Somerset Council seat in 2027.",
  "key_points": [
    "Conservative Party invites Jewish groups to meet Joshua Bonehill-Paine.",
    "Bonehill-Paine formerly held neo-Nazi extremist views.",
    "Critics question his suitability for public office."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Conservative Party's offer of a meeting with Jewish groups and its continued support for Joshua Bonehill-Paine signals a prioritization of candidate loyalty over concerns about his extremist past.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}