Neyland mayor branded racist resigns amid circumcision row

Andrew Lye has denied he is racist after accusations were made against him

A mayor accused of racism has resigned after branding the council environment "toxic".

The claims were made against Andrew Lye at a Neyland council meeting when members were handed an extract of a 2008 blog he wrote discussing the morality of male circumcision.

The post, titled "Uncut," asserted God made man in his image therefore "we must assume God has a foreskin".

Mr Lye said he was against all forms of abuse and insisted he was not racist.

The furore was sparked after the mayor of the Pembrokeshire council wrote he could not understand why any religion would require the removal of a foreskin, adding: "If God didn't mean us to have one, he'd have created us without one."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he questioned whether those who did circumcise their sons were "contravening God's laws".

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Councillor Brian Rothero said in the Monday meeting the blog was stirring up racial hatred towards Jews and Muslims.

"It's nothing short of antisemitic and anti-Muslim," Mr Rothero said.

He proposed a successful vote of no confidence in Mr Lye, who was temporarily removed as mayor ahead of an emergency general meeting.

Mr Lye has since resigned both as mayor and as a councillor.

Speaking after his resignation, Mr Lye said he raised the issue of male circumcision as part of a blog against female genital mutilation.

He said the council meeting had been presented with a "highly edited" version of what he had said, adding he apologised if anyone had been offended.

He said: "I am against all forms of abuse, whether it's against girls or boys.

"I am not homophobic, racist, Islamophobic or antisemitic.

"I just believe in equality for all and that is why I am in politics."

He said he resigned because he found the council "an extremely toxic environment".

"I feel that I must remove the negativity from my life and concentrate on my partner and my life outside the council," he said.

"I will continue to campaign for improvements for our community and for equality for all."