11 hours ago
Newly-recruited Reform councillor under fire after voicemail message branded racist
Report by ITV Wales journalist Sofia Lewis A newly-recruited Reform councillor is under fire for comments made about the Pakistani community in a voicemail left to a Wednesday 18 June, Councillor Andrew Barry, who is a Reform councillor for Merthyr Tydfil Council, left a voicemail seemingly in error to an ITV Wales journalist. In it, he is having a conversation with an unknown second person about the benefits system and housing. He goes on to say: "They're putting the immigrants in the HMOs. They're everywhere. The problem we've got, no one's interested… (Inaudible)"Years ago, when there weren't that many Pakistanis…. They were just turned a blind eye to init… (Inaudible).
"The problem we've got now is tens of thousands of them in cities. And their culture is different, like you and me, we're… (Inaudible).... got to protect them (Inaudible)."Those Pakistanis are tribal. They don't just dislike us, they dislike Sikhs…"
Reform UK are standing by the councillor and deny the comments were offensive, saying a private conversation involving Councillor Andrew Barry has been "taken out of context".
Merthyr Tydfil Council says a formal investigation process will now begin after it was made aware of the Ray Singh CBE, Chair of Race Council Cymru, has called the comments "offensive", while a statement from his organisation said: "Racially charged language has no place in modern public discourse".
Meanwhile, Dawn Bowden, Member of the Senedd for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, has called the remarks "absolutely racist" and "shocking."
Andrew Barry was an Independent councillor for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council before defecting to Reform UK, announced in a speech by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in Port Talbot earlier this month.
A Reform UK spokesman said: 'The private conversation involving Councillor Andrew Barry has been taken out of context, with the recording only picking up snippets of the discussion."They were discussing the failure of multiculturalism and recent warnings about the India-Pakistan conflict spilling onto British streets. Past riots in cities like Leicester and Birmingham show these are serious and legitimate concerns.
"Reform UK supports open and honest discussions about integration, community cohesion, and the impact of current policies. We reject hate or discrimination in any form but will not shy away from addressing difficult issues affecting communities across the UK.' A spokesperson for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council said the local authority does not condone "any comments that could be deemed offensive to any group" and is "supportive of an inclusive and diverse culture."It continued: "Following election all Members receive mandatory training on the Councillor Code of Conduct which sets out the expectations of them and includes guidance on equality and respect."
A statement from Race Council Cymru said that: "Offensive and racially charged language has no place in modern public discourse, especially when it comes from individuals seeking or holding political office. Such language doesn't exist in a vacuum; it reflects and reinforces deep-rooted prejudices that many communities have worked hard to overcome. At a time when we should be striving for greater inclusion and understanding, these comments are not only unacceptable but deeply damaging.
The impact of this kind of rhetoric extends far beyond the individual who says it. It sends a harmful message to Black and ethnic minority communities, suggesting that they are still not fully accepted or respected in our society. It undermines trust in our political institutions and creates an environment where racism and discrimination are downplayed or dismissed....
"We urge all political parties to take clear, decisive action against hate speech and to hold their representatives to the highest standards. This is not about political correctness, it's about human dignity and social responsibility."
