A political dispute has escalated between the Conservative Party and Reform UK following controversy over the selection and treatment of Joshua Bonehill-Paine, a former neo-Nazi activist who was chosen as a Tory council candidate. The issue has prompted sharp exchanges between leading figures from both parties.
Kemi Badenoch, a prominent Conservative politician, accused Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, of being a "woke" party. Badenoch defined "woke" as an attitude centered on grievance and victim narratives, arguing that it involves unproductive blaming of oppressors either on the left or right of the political spectrum. She dismissed Reform’s allegations as reflecting a victim mentality akin to that of left-wing activists.
In response, Farage criticized Badenoch’s handling of the Bonehill-Paine matter, describing her approach as demonstrating “weakness and bad judgment.” Farage said that if he had been made aware of Bonehill-Paine’s background, the candidate would have been removed “in 30 seconds.” He added that every political party risks candidates slipping through scrutiny but emphasized the severity of this case, noting Bonehill-Paine’s criminal conviction related to racially harassing a Jewish former member of Parliament in 2016 and serving jail time for sharing antisemitic material.
Bonehill-Paine initially defended by the Tories as rehabilitated, was appointed to advise the party’s culture and integration commission, a move that sparked widespread criticism. After public backlash, including from Farage himself, Bonehill-Paine later withdrew from the council candidacy.
The controversy intensified amid Farage’s recent resignation from his parliamentary seat and the resulting by-election triggered in his Clacton constituency. The resignation has drawn scrutiny due to a £5 million donation he received from cryptocurrency entrepreneur Christopher Harborn.
Adding to the condemnation, Labour peer Baroness Luciana Berger, the former MP targeted in Bonehill-Paine’s harassment case, described the appointment of Bonehill-Paine to an advisory role within the Tory Party as an “insult,” underscoring the emotional and political sensitivity surrounding the affair.
A Reform source responded to Badenoch’s criticism, suggesting that, by her definition, avoiding neo-Nazis in a party reflects being “woke.” The public exchanges highlight ongoing tensions between the Conservative Party and Reform UK, both competing for similar voter bases while disputing questions of candidate vetting, party values, and political judgment.