Corey Edwards stood in Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg and appeared at national hustings shortly before stepping down
REFORM UK Senedd candidate Corey Edwards has stepped down from the upcoming election, just days after controversy over a photograph appearing to show him making a Nazi salute.
The party confirmed on Thursday (Mar 27) that Edwards had withdrawn from the race, citing mental health issues. A spokesperson said: “Corey Edwards has informed us that he is stepping down as a candidate for the Senedd election this May, citing issues with his mental health.
“We wish him well for the future and hope his privacy can be respected at this difficult time.”
Edwards had been selected as Reform UK’s lead candidate for Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg, meaning he was in a strong position to be elected if the party secured a seat in the constituency.
His withdrawal comes shortly after a photograph emerged, first published by Nation.Cymru, which appeared to show him performing a Nazi salute. Edwards said the image, taken in 2019, could be “misinterpreted” and claimed he had been imitating either a scene from Fawlty Towers or Welsh footballer Wayne Hennessey, who was previously involved in a similar controversy.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the image “looked terrible” but confirmed Edwards would not be removed as a candidate at the time, describing him as “a human being” and referencing the sitcom scene as context.
Edwards had also appeared publicly as a Reform representative at a national youth hustings event in Cardiff on Thursday (Mar 19), alongside politicians from other major parties.
In a statement, Edwards said: “Like many young people, I have made mistakes. But I am proud of the person I am today and the values I stand for.”
The Herald understands that Reform UK has not yet confirmed whether a replacement candidate will be selected for the constituency.
