Jewish leaders refuse to meet with former neo-Nazi Tory candidate

Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJoshua Bonehill-Paine was jailed for racially aggravated harassment against Labour peer Luciana Berger (Met Police/PA)Jewish leaders, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, have declined an offer to meet Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a former antisemitic internet troll selected as a Conservative council candidate for Crewkerne South ward in Somerset. Bonehill-Paine was previously jailed in 2016 for racially aggravated harassment against Labour peer Baroness Luciana Berger, who is Jewish, and for producing an advert for a neo-Nazi rally featuring a picture of Auschwitz. Despite his criminal past, Bonehill-Paine has apologised for his actions and claims to be dedicated to challenging antisemitism, a stance Kemi Badenoch used to defend his selection, emphasising belief in rehabilitation. The Jewish organisations stated they would meet with the Conservative Party to discuss their candidate selection processes and urge them to rescind Bonehill-Paine's candidacy, highlighting the severity of his crimes and the impact on victims. Baroness Berger also criticised the selection, arguing that while rehabilitation is important, it does not automatically qualify someone for public office, especially given his history of sustained campaigns of hatred. More bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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