Tories offer Jewish groups meeting with ex neo-Nazi activist candidate
The UK Conservative Party is facing backlash for selecting Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a former neo-Nazi activist with a criminal record, as a council candidate. Party leadership has offered meetings with Jewish community groups to address concerns regarding his selection and vetting processes.
Why it matters
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions regarding political vetting standards and the inclusion of individuals with extremist pasts in mainstream political parties.
Image source, Yeovil Conservatives Image caption, Joshua Bonehill-Paine has been selected to stand as a candidate for a seat in next year's Somerset Council election
The Conservatives have offered Jewish groups a meeting with their council election candidate, Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who spent time in prison for neo-Nazi activism.
The party has been criticised over the decision to select him to stand for a seat on Somerset Council next year, but Kemi Badenoch has said she is standing by Bonehill-Paine because she wants to give him a second chance.
He has described his past views as "indefensible" and now speaks out against extremism.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has called on the Conservatives to ditch him as a candidate, saying the selection "beggars belief".
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