New Reform UK recruit under fire over offensive social media posts
Emily Price
Reform UK has declined to comment on offensive messages posted online by a Welsh councillor who recently defected to the party.
Merthyr Tydfil independent – Andrew Barry – was welcomed to the stage by Nigel Farage during a keynote speech in Port Talbot earlier this month.
Cllr Barry said he was jumping ship for Reform because he saw Farage’s party as “the only opposition in Wales”.
Several sources later got in touch with Nation.Cymru pointing out offensive messages posted to Facebook by Andrew Barry before he became a councillor which are still visible on his timeline.
Posts
In one message from 2013, the Reformer branded Puerto Rico a “3rd world shit hole”.
He wrote: “I’m fucked if I’m going to Puerto Rico for 29 months. Don’t know where it is, why I would live in that 3rd world shit hole for 2 years and 5 months, I’ve no idea. What are you not on about.”
In another comment, he branded Facebook friends who were discussing travelling abroad as, “around the world gypos”.
‘No comment’
He wrote: “I’ll drop you for the flight to California, [name] for the flight to Rome and me and [name] can have a couple of pints down the Bailey and have a bit of peace and quiet by staying right here away from you crazy travelling long day around the world Gypos.”
In another post under an image of himself and a woman he wrote: “What a pair of Gypos!”
The full context of the comments is unclear.
‘Inclusive’
A spokesperson for Reform UK said the party would not comment on the posts.
A spokesperson for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council said the local authority did not condone the language used by Cllr Barry.
They said: “As a local authority we are supportive of an inclusive and diverse culture and do not condone any comments that could be deemed offensive to any group.
“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.”
Defections
Cllr Barry’s recent defection to Reform is not the first time he has switched his political allegiance.
He was previously a member of the Labour Party until he didn’t get selected to stand in 2017.
The councillor then stood as an independent, later becoming the cabinet member for finance until September last year when Labour took back control of the council.
During Barry’s speech after his defection to Reform UK was announced by Farage, he complained about wasteful spending decisions at Merthyr Council.
He said: “Because the people making decisions on hundreds of millions of pounds “aren’t the councillors, aren’t the politicians, they are unelected, unaccountable, officers of the council.
He added: “That’s got to stop. We talk about where’s the money. The money is there. We just have to use it more appropriately.”
‘Failures’
Merthyr Council’s Labour group accused the former cabinet member for finance of making excuses for “his own failures when in power.”
Sharing a video online of Cllr Barry stood alongside Nigel Farage, the group said: “Reform should be judged by their actions. Former cabinet member for finance, Andrew Barry, talks about his administration being run by unelected officers.
“Let’s be clear, this is nothing but one excuse for his own failures when in power.”
Merthyr Tydfil Senedd Member, Dawn Bowden, also hit out at Cllr Barry branding him a “chancer of the first degree”.
She said: “It’s worth noting that Andrew Barry held the cabinet finance portfolio during the time when the Welsh Government had to be brought in to support the running of the council because the independents had made such a mess of it.
“After the Welsh Government had sorted things out, Cllr Barry then went on to tell the electorate at the following election that Merthyr Council was in the ‘best financial position for 20 years’ and took credit for it!
“So, as Cllr Barry is now so exercised about ‘waste’ in the council, it does raise the question whether he knew about it when he was cabinet member for finance there – he should have done!
“At that time, given his position, he could have done something about it. Did he? Chancer of the first degree.”
We contacted Cllr Barry to make him aware of the concerns that had been raised about the offensive language on his Facebook timeline.
We also asked him why he had defected so many times during his time on Merthyr Tydfil Country Borough council.
Cllr Barry did not respond.
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If he was an independent for 5 minutes, exactly which ship did he jump?
The man is obviously too ignorant for words. To think we were at the mercy of these two brain celled imbeciles during the Brexit referendum. If the only part of the world he wanted to see was his local pub, he should be left there until he finishes off his last two remaining brain cells.
A political structure riddled with dry rot and worms, thousands of Barrys waiting like Vampire bats to fly out into the Welsh night when the structure collapses…
His posts would suggest to me that he’s as thick as two short planks. I guess that makes him an Ideal candidate for Reform UK!!
On par for the reform vetting.
Totally sus posts? Racist posts or abusive?
Yep, in you come to the reform fold. Nige says welcome.
How any councillors have they lost now in England, 10 or so?
Definitely a leading candidate for Cabinet Secretary for Education when Reform sweep to power in 2026. Time to hand out the arsenic.
Wow, what a classy man? If this is the standard of Reform UK Senedd candidate, god help us! Firstly, Puerto Rico is a beautiful island nation, and anyone ugly are you Andrew Barry. Take a peek in the mirror, if it will stomach your face that it.
Do these folk agree Sir Jimmy was a working class hero?