Ex-councillor banned after racist voice note

Andrew Edwards, a former councillor, has been disqualified from serving on any authority for a period of four years due to his involvement in sending a racist voice note via WhatsApp. The voice note contained offensive remarks suggesting that white men should have black slaves, which prompted an investigation by an ombudsman. Following this investigation, the case was escalated to the Adjudication Panel for Wales, who found unanimously that Edwards had breached the code of conduct. In addition to the racist comments, the panel discovered that he had shared sensitive information related to Pembrokeshire council business along with disparaging remarks about members of the public using the same messaging platform. Edwards attempted to defend his actions by claiming that the voice recording was a “deep fake,” suggesting it had been manipulated by someone with malicious intent to misrepresent him.

Edwards, who has previously held various positions including that of a magistrate and school governor, admitted to sharing council information and making disrespectful comments, asserting that he was merely “venting” to his partner. Following the emergence of these allegations in 2023, which led to protests outside Pembrokeshire County Hall in Haverfordwest, Edwards resigned from the Conservative Party and subsequently stepped down from his position as a councillor for the Haverfordwest Prendergast ward in December of the same year. The vacancy left by his resignation was filled by independent candidate Alun Wills, who won the seat during a by-election held in February. Despite the outcome of the Adjudication Panel, Edwards retains the right to appeal their decision to the High Court, indicating that the legal proceedings surrounding this case may continue into the future.