The Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council have released the following statement.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council have declined the Conservative Party’s invitation to meet with a former neo-Nazi with criminal convictions for antisemitic hatred. The severity of Joshua Bonehill-Paine’s crimes targeting Luciana Berger and others mean that he still faces ongoing legal restrictions.
Whilst we do believe in the possibility of rehabilitation, this should not in this case entail selection as a candidate for a political party, and the impact of this decision on the victims ought to be a central consideration.
We have agreed to meet the Conservative Party to discuss their decision making processes and to urge them to rescind this decision.