The Tories’ Faustian Bargain: A Neo-Nazi Candidate in Somerset
In a move that has sent shockwaves through British politics, the Conservative Party has selected Joshua Bonehill-Paine—a former neo-Nazi activist with convictions for harassing a Jewish MP—as its candidate for the Somerset council election in the newly created Crewkerne South district. This decision, confirmed by Bonehill-Paine himself, raises profound questions about the party’s direction under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership and its commitment to core liberal values.
Bonehill-Paine, who once described himself as a “nationalist, fascist, theorist and supporter of white rights,” has a criminal record that includes a 2016 conviction for racially aggravated harassment of then-Labour MP Luciana Berger, whom he called a “rodent” and an “evil money-grabber.” He was also jailed in 2015 for posting antisemitic material ahead of a planned neo-Nazi rally, and has convictions for assaulting a police officer and burglary of a police station. Yet, he now stands as a Conservative candidate, claiming the party is “fully aware of my past” and that he has received support from the Yeovil branch chairman.
This development is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern. Badenoch has been accused of freezing out centrist Tories, demanding that all prospective MPs align with her pledge to scrap the 2050 net zero target and leave the European Convention on Human Rights. The resignation of Cody Butler as chair of the One Nation Conservative Network—a group representing moderate, liberal conservatism—underscores the party’s shift. Butler’s public letter stated he no longer believed there was a home for one nation conservatism in the party. Meanwhile, the rejection of former cabinet minister Grant Shapps as a parliamentary candidate suggests a purge of experienced, centrist figures.
Bonehill-Paine’s selection is particularly egregious given the party’s stated opposition to antisemitism. Badenoch has repeatedly claimed to lead a “brand new party full of new people,” yet this choice undermines that narrative. Reform UK was quick to pounce, with a spokesperson calling the hypocrisy “breathtaking.” For a party that once championed liberal values—individual rights, tolerance, and the rule of law—this is a stark departure.
The liberal-left must ask: what does it mean when a major party embraces a figure with such a history? It signals a normalization of extremism, a willingness to trade principles for electoral gain. Bonehill-Paine’s satirical Crewkerne Gazette, which has gained a cult following, casts Badenoch in a favorable light while attacking Labour and Reform UK. This suggests a transactional relationship: the party overlooks his past in exchange for his media influence. But this is a dangerous game. By legitimizing such figures, the Tories risk alienating moderate voters and further polarizing an already fractured political landscape.
For liberals, this is a moment to reaffirm core commitments. The Conservative Party’s drift toward populism and illiberalism must be met with robust defense of civic values. The selection of a convicted antisemite as a candidate is not just a political misstep; it is a moral failure. As the 2026 local elections approach, voters in Somerset—and across the UK—must consider whether they want a party that embraces such figures to represent them. The answer, for those who believe in a liberal, inclusive society, should be clear.
Thomas Reynolds is a contributing editor at The Liberal Current.