The Conservative Party Called His Past Actions "Indefensible" But Cited Rehabilitation, Saying the Public Will Decide His Fate

Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a former neo-Nazi activist with convictions for harassing a Jewish MP, has been selected as a Conservative candidate for Crewkerne South in Somerset Council elections. Bonehill-Paine, who was found guilty in 2016 of racially-aggravated harassment of Luciana Berger, now runs a satirical social media account and claims to work in counter-extremism. The Conservative Party called his past actions "indefensible" but cited rehabilitation, saying the public will decide his fate. Bonehill-Paine expressed pride in his transformation, while party leader Kemi Badenoch has tightened candidate selection rules.