Ex-Tory councillor banned after saying white men should have black slaves

Andrew Edwards had initially claimed the voice recording was a ‘deep fake’

Former Tory councillor Andrew Edwards has been banned from serving on any authority for four years (Pembrokeshire County Council)

A former councillor who sent a racist message saying white men should have black slaves has been disqualified from serving on any authority for four years.

Andrew Edwards, who had served as Tory member of Pembrokeshire County Council representing the Prendergast ward, stepped down in December 2024 and has now been found to have breached the code of conduct.

He had left the Conservatives in 2023 when the 16-second recording first emerged, with Edwards previously claiming that it was a “deep fake” created with malicious intent.

In the recording, the person can be heard saying: "Nothing wrong with the skin colour at all.

"I think all white men should have a black man as a slave or black woman as a slave, you know.

"There's nothing wrong with skin colour, it's just that they're lower class than us white people."

Am investigation by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales found that “on balance” it was his voice on the recording, and referred the case to the Adjudication Panel for Wales.

The businessman had also admitted sharing council information and comments about the public to his partner, saying he was “venting” while under personal pressure.

Having been banned for four years, he has the right to appeal the decision of the Adjudication Panel to the High Court.

Independent candidate Alun Wills won the Prendergast ward following a by-election in February.