An investigation is underway for Pembrokeshire council member Andrew Edwards after audio leaked of what appears to be the politician making derogatory statements.

Those familiar with Edwards have alleged that it indeed is his voice on the recordings, although that information has not been authenticated, the BBC shared yesterday (April 12). In the tapes, a man is heard saying, “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 color, it’s just that they’re lower class than us white people, you know?” The recording lasts for only 16 seconds, and it is not yet clear what could have prompted the British lawmaker to make such racist comments.

When addressing the audio, Edwards stated, “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.” Pembrokeshire council members also released a comment but did not appear to condemn the rhetoric. “We are aware of an allegation being made and have referred the matter to the Ombudsman. It would be inappropriate to comment further,” they declared.

A Labour group called Edwards’ viewpoint “disgusting,” and a spokesperson representing the people of Pembrokeshire slammed the audio. “Racism has absolutely no place in our society, let alone in the views expressed by an elected member on Pembrokeshire County Council,” the rep declared. Social media has not been forgiving of the conversation either. “Should be an instant, gross misconduct, dismissal,” one tweet read. Another person wrote, “It’s said that this is Andrew Edwards, Tory councillor and MAGISTRATE,” before sharing the recording. They added, “We need a stronger word to describe the racist f**ks.”