A former neo-Nazi activist with convictions for racially aggravated harassment and assaulting a police officer has withdrawn as a Conservative candidate for Somerset Council after Jewish groups voiced outrage at his selection. Joshua Bonehill-Paine announced he would no longer stand in the local elections next year, ending a controversy that had put pressure on Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
Bonehill-Paine said on Wednesday that he had pulled out of the race for a seat on Somerset Council and that Badenoch had instead asked him to become an adviser to the culture and integration commission of the Conservative Party. He said his work there would focus specifically on how young men become radicalised.
The selection had been condemned by Jewish community leaders, who reacted with anger to the prospect of a convicted former neo-Nazi standing as a Conservative councillor. Bonehill-Paine has previous convictions for racially aggravated harassment of a Jewish Labour MP and assaulting a police officer, along with other offences.
The backing by Badenoch of Bonehill-Paine has raised questions about her political judgement, particularly after she said prospective Conservative MPs must be «serious people who understand common sense». The row has also reignited concerns about the direction of the party under her leadership, with critics arguing that the episode reveals a deeper problem within the Conservatives.
The decision by the party leader to offer Bonehill-Paine an advisory role rather than cut ties entirely drew further criticism. The commission is intended to examine social and cultural issues, and the appointment of a former extremist to advise on radicalisation was criticised by political opponents.
Bonehill-Paine had been selected to contest a seat on Somerset Council in the local elections next year. His withdrawal came after days of pressure from Jewish organisations and politicians, who said it was unacceptable for the party to field a candidate with his background.
Bonehill-Paine confirmed he no longer intended to stand and said he would instead work with the commission. He did not address the criticism directly.
Further details about the timing of his advisory role and the scope of his work on the commission have not been made public.
The episode is the latest in a series of controversies to test the leadership of Badenoch since she became party leader. Her insistence that the party needs to embrace «common sense» policies has been a central theme of her tenure, but the handling of this case has given ammunition to opponents who question whether that rhetoric is matched by sound decisions.
Jewish groups have said their concerns about the candidacy of Bonehill-Paine were not limited to his past convictions but also to his record of activism and the message his selection would send. They welcomed his withdrawal but expressed unease about his continued involvement with the party through the advisory role.
