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Reform is continuing to support one of its top candidates for the upcoming Welsh Parliament election in May, despite controversy surrounding a photograph that appears to show him making a Nazi salute. The image in question features Corey Edwards, a former Conservative ministerial adviser, with his right arm raised and a finger placed beneath his nose.
Edwards has acknowledged that the photo “looks bad and could be misinterpreted,” clarifying that he was mimicking a Welsh footballer’s gesture. A spokesperson for Reform emphasized the party’s unwillingness to permanently condemn individuals for youthful mistakes, stating, “We’re not willing to write people off forever because of mistakes they made when they were young.”
Corey Edwards served as a special adviser to Conservative Welsh Secretary David TC Davies before being named Reform’s lead candidate for Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg. This designation means that if Reform secures a seat in the Bridgend and Vale of Glamorgan constituency, Edwards will be elected. The party noted that the photograph dated back to 2019. However, the precise location where the photo was taken remains unclear, and it was first published by Nation.Cymru on Thursday.
Addressing the issue via social media, Edwards pointed out that the photo predates his political career, stating on platform X that it “predates when I even started working in politics.” According to his LinkedIn profile, he began as a senior parliamentary assistant in the Commons in October 2019, having previously worked as a paralegal. In a public statement, Edwards said, “A photo from many years ago has been shared that I recognise looks bad and could be misinterpreted.” He insisted that there is a “clear distinction” between the offensive use of the gesture and his imitation of a Welsh footballer or even Basil Fawlty’s walk. He also strongly condemned the Nazi regime, calling it “the most barbaric ever,” and emphasized that he would never seek to downplay its seriousness.
Edwards further highlighted his family’s connection to the fight against Nazism, noting that his grandfather fought against the Nazis and his uncle-in-law was a prisoner of war. He expressed pride in being “a staunch champion of Judaism” and horror at the “recent openly antisemitic marches on the streets of Britain.” He acknowledged that, like many young people, he has “made mistakes” but is proud of who he is today and hopes to be judged based on his professionalism and future contributions.
The controversy has drawn criticism from other political parties. A Plaid Cymru spokesman described the photo as “utterly disgraceful” and called on Reform to answer serious questions regarding their vetting process. This comes shortly after Reform targeted Plaid Cymru candidates over problematic social media posts, including the resignation of Plaid candidate Neil Roberts, who stepped down after messages surfaced showing him using offensive language about children on Twitter
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