Former Neo-Nazi Candidate to Stand for Conservatives in Somerset Local Elections

A former neo-Nazi has been announced as a Conservative Party candidate for next year’s local elections in Somerset.

Residents of Somerset will vote on 6 May 2027 to elect 96 councillors for the newly formed Somerset Council, marking the first elections held under revised boundaries following a consultation by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

Several incumbents have already confirmed their intention to stand for re-election, including current council leader Bill Revans for the newly delineated North Petherton seat, and Oliver Patrick for the updated Coker division.

The latest candidate to declare is Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who will contest the new Crewkerne South division on the Conservative ticket. Bonehill-Paine has a complex history, having previously served three years in prison.

His convictions include assaulting a police officer and burglary of a police station. In 2014, he was found guilty of malicious communications related to an anti-Islam hoax that resulted in death threats against pub owners in Leicester. He was subsequently jailed in 2015 for over three years following the distribution of “vile” anti-Semitic material online preceding a planned neo-Nazi rally.

In 2016, Bonehill-Paine was convicted of racially aggravated harassment of then-Labour MP Luciana Berger, whom he had described using derogatory terms online.

After his release in 2018, he received various counter-extremism certifications from the Home Office. He also became an executive member of the Conservatives' Yeovil branch, serving as an events organiser. The local branch chairman has publicly supported his rehabilitation efforts.

Bonehill-Paine is also the founder of the Crewkerne Gazette, a Facebook page that shares AI-generated satirical political videos.

The new Crewkerne South division encompasses the railway station and nearby villages near the Dorset border, replacing the former single Crewkerne division which was split into Crewkerne North and Merriott as part of the boundary changes.

Speaking on his official Facebook page, Bonehill-Paine expressed pride in his selection and criticised the incumbent Liberal Democrat council for failing the community since the 2022 local elections.

He stated, “The roads are broken. The traffic is a disaster. The shops are empty. Houses are being built everywhere, local people are ignored, and our beautiful green spaces are disappearing. Children with SEND? Failed by this council. Families are fighting for basic support while the politicians offer excuses. It is disgraceful, and it must end.”

He pledged to prioritise local residents’ needs, promising increased police presence, improved roads and public transport, better healthcare, genuine support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and protection for the countryside. He also emphasised housing development that suits local families rather than unplanned expansion.

He concluded, “We are going to restore our town. We are going to bring back pride. We are going to win – and together, we can get Crewkerne, and Somerset, working again.”

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch MP has defended Bonehill-Paine’s candidacy, noting his rehabilitation and ongoing work to counter extremism. Speaking in Guildford, she said, “Josh has been certified by the Home Office to train police officers on anti-Semitism and countering extremism. He has shown contrition for his crimes, has been rehabilitated, and is now actively working to solve the problems he once caused.”

Badenoch added, “The Conservative Party believes in second chances. This is not simply about someone with a criminal record, but someone committed to helping communities, including Jewish communities. I want to see second chances for good people who have learned their lessons and acknowledge their past mistakes.”

The full list of candidates for the Somerset local elections is expected to be published by early April 2027.