Kemi Badenoch is under pressure to remove a former neo-Nazi candidate from the local election, as demanded by ex-MP Luciana Berger. Berger, who faced a “deeply antisemitic and misogynistic” attack from Joshua Bonehill-Paine, expressed concerns over his selection as a Conservative candidate despite his history of racist convictions.
Bonehill-Paine, a convicted racist who targeted Berger in 2016, has been chosen to run in a local council election in Somerset. Berger criticized the decision, stating that the case still haunts her, and raised doubts about Bonehill-Paine’s suitability for public office given his past offenses.
Despite Bonehill-Paine’s claims of reform and efforts to combat antisemitism and extremism, his past actions, including racially harassing Berger and promoting hate-filled content, have drawn widespread criticism. The move to nominate him as a candidate has sparked backlash from other political parties, with a Labour spokesperson condemning the decision as a disgrace.
In response to the controversy, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch defended Bonehill-Paine’s candidacy, citing his contrition for past crimes and his certification by the Home Office for anti-Semitism training. Badenoch emphasized the importance of second chances and highlighted Bonehill-Paine’s community service efforts, particularly within Jewish communities.
While the Conservative Party acknowledged Bonehill-Paine’s past actions as indefensible, they highlighted his attempts at rehabilitation through counter-extremism work. The party stressed the adherence to their code of conduct and values for all members, leaving the ultimate decision on Bonehill-Paine’s election to the public.
The Mirror has reached out to Somerset Conservatives and Joshua Bonehill-Paine for comments on the matter.