Suspended Tory activist had brief paid social media role for party, BBC reports

Jack Ross, suspended from the Conservative Party after undercover footage showed him discussing paid violence, was briefly paid to advise the party on social media, the BBC reports. The work ended earlier in 2026. He was not a party employee and did not hold a pass for Conservative Campaign Headquarters, according to the BBC.

Al Jazeera published its investigation on 21 October. In footage it says was recorded in 2022, Ross described contacts who could arrange attacks including stabbing, shooting and killing. Its undercover journalist had presented him with a fictitious business dispute. Al Jazeera says Ross also introduced the journalist to Allan Nesbitt, who claimed he could arrange a killing for payment. Ross denied Al Jazeera’s findings completely and told it that nothing he said to the undercover journalist was meant seriously.

A Conservative spokesperson said Ross’s membership had been suspended with immediate effect pending an investigation. Party leader Kemi Badenoch called the claims “shocking allegations” and said she did not believe he was still a member. The party’s stated action is suspension, not expulsion.

The BBC says Ross met Badenoch several times in his separate role at Turning Point UK. Police Scotland told the Guardian it would assess the Al Jazeera documentary for possible criminality.