Neyland mayor branded racist resigns amid circumcision row

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2 hours ago

Legend,

Andrew Lye denied being racist after accusations against him

A mayor accused of racism has resigned after calling the city’s environment “toxic”.

The allegations were made against Andrew Lye at a Neyland council meeting when members received an excerpt from a 2008 blog he wrote about the morality of male circumcision.

The post, titled “Uncut,” claimed that God made man in his image, so “we must assume that God has a foreskin.”

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

The fury was sparked after the mayor of Pembrokeshire council wrote he couldn’t understand why any religion would require the removal of a foreskin, adding: ‘If God didn’t want us to have one he would have created us without. “

Councilman Brian Rothero said at Monday’s meeting that the blog stoked racial hatred towards Jews and Muslims.

“It’s nothing less than anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim,” Rothero said.

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

Mr Lye has since resigned 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 was presented with a “highly edited” version of what he said, adding that he apologized if anyone was offended.

He said: “I am against all forms of abuse, whether against girls or boys.

“I am not homophobic, racist, Islamophobic or anti-Semitic.

“I just believe in equality for all and that’s why I’m in politics.”

He said he quit because he found the board “an extremely toxic environment”.

“I feel like I need to get the negativity out of my life and focus on my partner and my life outside of counseling,” he said.

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

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