Joshua Bonehill‑Paine, who served three years for posting antisemitic material and has other convictions, has been selected as the Conservative candidate for Crewkerne South in the 2027 Somerset Council elections. The party says he has shown contrition, completed a de‑radicalisation programme and now runs counter‑extremism sessions. Jewish leaders and local politicians have criticised the selection and called for a review of vetting processes. The controversy raises questions about rehabilitation, public trust and candidate selection standards.
Ex‑Neo‑Nazi Activist Selected As Conservative Candidate For Crewkerne South — Sparks Criticism
Joshua Bonehill-Paine now speaks out against extremism [Contributed]
Joshua Bonehill‑Paine, a former neo‑Nazi activist who served three years in prison for posting antisemitic material related to a planned rally, has been selected as the Conservative Party candidate for the new Somerset Council division of Crewkerne South at the 2027 local elections. The choice has prompted strong reactions from Jewish community leaders and local politicians, while party figures defend the decision as an example of rehabilitation.
Background
Bonehill‑Paine was jailed after publishing antisemitic material online and was later convicted of racially harassing then‑Labour MP Luciana Berger. His record also includes convictions for assaulting a police officer, burglary of a police station and malicious communications. He ran the satirical online project The Crewkerne Gazette.
Joshua Bonehill-Paine will stand as a candidate in next year's council elections [Yeovil Conservatives]
Selection And Party Response
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch defended the selection, saying Bonehill‑Paine had "shown contrition for his crimes" and highlighting the party's support for second chances. Badenoch said he is "spending every day working to solve the very problem which he knew he had caused previously," and noted his involvement in training and community work nationwide.
"The Conservative Party believes in second chances," Badenoch said, adding that the candidate was "actively working to help communities, especially Jewish communities."
Claims Of Reform
Bonehill‑Paine says he renounced far‑right beliefs while serving his sentence, prompted by the 2016 murder of MP Jo Cox. He described his earlier views as "indefensible," completed a de‑radicalisation programme and now delivers counter‑extremism sessions around the UK. He told reporters that local supporters helped him on release in 2018 and that he wants to "give back" to the community.
Kemi Badenoch supports Bonehill-Paine in his candidacy [PA Media]
Criticism And Calls For Review
The selection has drawn sharp criticism. Karen Newman, vice‑president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the move "beggars belief" and that the organisation had contacted the Conservative Party asking it to rescind the selection and review its vetting processes.
Liberal Democrat MP Adam Dance, whose Yeovil constituency includes Crewkerne, said residents deserved confidence in those who seek to represent them, and urged the party to explain why it believes Bonehill‑Paine is fit to serve. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also weighed in, asking whether the pick represented the "new generation" of Conservative candidates promised by Badenoch.
What Happens Next
Bonehill‑Paine will stand in the 2027 council elections for the Crewkerne South seat. The controversy is likely to prompt further scrutiny of the Conservative Party's candidate vetting and the balance between rehabilitation and public trust in elected representatives.
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