A Tory councillor has been suspended after he was allegedly heard saying 'all white men should have a black slave' in a leaked voice recording.
Andrew Edwards, who represents an area of Haverfordwest on Pembrokeshire County Council, Wales, referred himself to the Public Services Ombudsman after the incendiary 16-second clip surfaced earlier this week.
The Welsh Conservatives confirmed on Thursday that Mr Edwards had since been suspended by the party while an investigation is carried out.
His voice is said to have been identified by other members of the council after they were sent the audio.
In the recording, published by online news site Nation.Cymru, a man's voice 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 a black woman as a slave, you know.
"It's nothing wrong with skin colour, it is just they're a lower class than us white people, you know."
Children and other adults can be heard talking and playing in the background of the audio.
It is not clear when the recording was made, or who it was made for.
A spokesperson for the Welsh Tories confirmed on Thursday evening that he had been suspended pending an investigation, and said: "Andrew Edwards has been suspended by the party whilst an investigation is carried out."
Welsh Conservatives leader in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, meanwhile said: "The views expressed in the recording are disgraceful, abhorrent and are not shared by the Welsh Conservatives.
"As the matter is being investigated, it would be inappropriate to comment further."
It was confirmed Mr Edwards had left the party group on the council on Tuesday.
Mr Edwards has represented the Haverfordwest Prendergast ward as a Tory councillor since May 2022.
The Conservatives are an opposition group in the local authority, which has been led by independent groups since 1996.
Mr Edwards was also a magistrate until he resigned last July, as well as the owner of a barber shop called Freestyle Barbers in Haverfordwest.
In an earlier statement Mr Edwards said he had referred himself to the Public Services Ombudsman, who later confirmed they had received the self-referral.
He said: "I am aware of such serious allegations being made against me. This is why I have self-referred to the Public Services Ombudsman for an independent evaluation.
"It is now in the hands of legal experts and the Ombudsman. It would be unfair on the process for me to comment now."
Pembrokeshire County Council said: "We are aware of an allegation being made and have referred the matter to the ombudsman. It would be inappropriate to comment further."
