Tory Chief Whip Faces Condemnation for Promoting AI Content from Jailed Far-Right Activist
The Conservative party's chief whip, Rebecca Harris, has sparked significant controversy after reposting AI-generated footage created by a notorious far-right figure with multiple convictions for hate crimes against Jewish individuals. Harris, appointed by party leader Kemi Badenoch in 2024, shared the latest skit from the Crewkerne Gazette, an online satirical account that depicts Badenoch and shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy as characters from the gangster film Scarface.
Creator's Troubled Past and Party Membership Claims
The account's creator was recently revealed to be Joshua Bonehill-Paine, an activist who has described himself as a "nationalist, fascist, theorist and supporter of white rights." Bonehill-Paine now claims to be a fully paid-up member of the Conservative party, despite his extensive history of far-right activism and criminal convictions ranging from assault to racially aggravated harassment against Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger.
In 2016, Bonehill-Paine was found guilty of racially aggravated harassment for abuse directed at Berger, which included posting messages calling her "a rodent" and "evil money-grabber." He was jailed in 2015 for more than three years after posting "vile" antisemitic material online ahead of a planned neo-Nazi rally. His criminal record also includes convictions for assaulting a police officer, burglary of a police station, and malicious communications over an anti-Islam hoax that led to death threats against pub owners in Leicester.
Political Reaction and Criticism
The promotion of this content has drawn sharp criticism from opposition politicians. Alex Barros-Curtis, Labour MP for Cardiff West, condemned Harris's actions, stating: "This shows a real lack of judgment from Kemi Badenoch's close ally, in the week where Tory top brass has peddled vile insults towards Muslims. It highlights the astonishing depths to which the Conservatives have sunk. They've learned no lessons from their election defeat. They simply can't be trusted to unite communities across this country."
Barros-Curtis has previously accused Bonehill-Paine of using "AI slop" to advocate for Nigel Farage and stoke fears about immigration. The Crewkerne Gazette account has gained substantial online following by creating AI videos depicting politicians including Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner, and Andy Burnham apparently singing popular songs with altered, politically themed lyrics.
Conservative Response and Creator's Defense
When questioned about Harris sharing the content, a Conservative spokesperson defended the Crewkerne Gazette as "a fun, satirical X account that makes amusing, topical videos that have been broadcast on all of Britain's mainstream TV channels, including the BBC, and hosted on most newspaper websites." The party has been approached for comment regarding Bonehill-Paine's claim of current Conservative membership.
Bonehill-Paine told the Guardian that his past was "no secret" and that politicians from various parties engage with the Crewkerne Gazette's topical satirical content. He expressed regret for his past actions, stating: "I bitterly regret and am sorry for my past and the hurt I have caused the Jewish community. I am indeed a fully paid-up member of the Conservative party, and it was under a Conservative government that my rehabilitation was successfully facilitated, for which I remain grateful."
When asked about declaring his previous convictions and far-right political associations, Bonehill-Paine responded: "There is nowhere to declare previous convictions and former political associations, I am not a candidate nor standing for election. In which case there would of course be vetting done if so, and a declaration of convictions." His past far-right activity includes founding and leading the National British Resistance, a far-right organization.
