Conservatives Offer Jewish Groups Meeting With Ex-Neo-Nazi Candidate After 3-Year Prison Term
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 5
Conservatives Offer Jewish Groups Meeting With Ex-Neo-Nazi Candidate After 3-Year Prison Term
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 5
Summary
The Conservatives have offered the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis a meeting with Somerset candidate Joshua Bonehill-Paine after outrage over his selection.
Bonehill-Paine was chosen Tuesday for the new Crewkerne South seat in the 2027 Somerset Council election, despite serving 3 years in prison for posting antisemitic material before a planned neo-Nazi rally.
Kemi Badenoch has refused to drop him, saying he deserves a second chance because he now condemns extremism and delivers counter-extremism training around the UK.
Jewish leaders want his candidacy rescinded and vetting reviewed, while Luciana Berger said his racist and misogynistic abuse still haunts her and other parties called the selection disgraceful.