Reform special adviser's social media featured dozens of racist and anti-Muslim posts

A man whose social media account featured dozens of racist and anti-Muslim messages is now being employed by a Reform Senedd politician as a special adviser.

Derek Roberts, who quit as a Reform candidate for this year's Senedd election after concerns were raised within the party about his Facebook account, is now working for Reform's Gaz Thomas.

In one post on his account seen by BBC Wales a racial slur is used to describe people from Pakistan, while another openly supports far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

The posts from 2022 to 2025 prompted questions about the party's vetting procedures. Reform in the Senedd said: "We do not comment on our internal hiring processes."

Roberts has not responded for requests to comment on the social media posts. Thomas has also not responded to the BBC.

Warning: The article below contains strong language readers may find offensive.

Last March Roberts was announced as a second-place candidate for Reform in the constituency of Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg, which spans Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan.

It was unexpectedly announced at the end of the month that Roberts would not stand. Reform said he had quit for "personal reasons", without providing further detail.

A source close to Reform UK told the BBC that prior to Roberts quitting, concerns were raised about a Facebook account in his name.

BBC Wales has been told that an internal investigation by Reform subsequently took place. Roberts was later replaced as a candidate.

In a phone call last week Roberts disputed that he was replaced because of social media posts and said he had stood down.

Despite this, since the election Roberts has been recruited as a special adviser to Thomas, who had replaced Roberts as Reform's second candidate in the same constituency.

Had Roberts still been a candidate on 7 May, it is likely he would now be a Member of the Senedd.

Roberts appointment as an adviser follows the news that Corey Edwards, who had also stood down from the same constituency list after a photo emerged of him appearing to perform a Nazi salute, was taken on as a special adviser to the Welsh Reform leader Dan Thomas.

Reform had said that Edwards stepped down as a Senedd candidate "citing issues with his mental health".

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Edwards had been impersonating Basil Fawlty, although a statement from Edwards at the time suggested he had also been impersonating a Welsh footballer.

BBC Wales has been shown copies of dozens of offensive Facebook posts, often using inflammatory language, from an account in Roberts' name, stretching from 2022 to 2025.

None of the posts are publicly accessible and BBC Wales has not seen them on his account.

In September 2022, the account posted a series of racist jokes about floods in Pakistan, including one which used a racist slur about Pakistanis.

Another post that month appeared to criticise the ethnic background of a Plaid councillor.

In July 2022, referring to a BBC News article about a murdered grooming victim, a post on Roberts' account appeared to express support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson, saying: "Fucking Pakistani community AGAIN! Come on Tommy!".

Some of the posts criticised former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf because he is a Muslim.

In February 2023, before Yousaf became first minister, Roberts' account featured a post which said: "Scotland please don't let a Muslim be in charge of a political party in your Celtic country!"

A post about Yousaf in April 2023 said: "At last this vile man is getting kicked out of Scottish government! Remember one thing you were NOT elected by the Scottish people the same as the PM and the Welsh FM! Remember White, White White, dick head!"

Other posts commented on the Welsh Labour leadership race in December 2023.

Referring to a photograph of former Labour minister Jeremy Miles, who was pictured to the right of Eluned Morgan and Vaughan Gething, a post read: "Let's face it, the guy on the right won't get it unless he is gay or a Muslim."

A message about Sir Keir Starmer seemingly criticised the prime minister, but combined it with an anti-Muslim statement.

In a post on Roberts' account in August 2024, it said: "I absolutely hate the PM as he is a communist twat and I absolutely detest the Islamic way of life!"

The source close to Reform UK told the BBC: "Reform had a real vetting problem.

"If this level of material was discoverable in relation to a number two Senedd candidate, who had also been through councillor and Senedd vetting, then I could not understand how the party could have confidence in the wider vetting of thousands of candidates elsewhere."

The source added: "This is about whether political parties who ask for public trust apply their standards consistently, whether their vetting processes are robust and whether they value people of integrity or simply those willing to say yes."

Reform in the Senedd was asked if it stood by Roberts as a staff member or whether it disputed any of the story.

It did not answer the questions, but in a statement said: "We do not comment on our internal hiring processes, staff members are not public-facing elected members."

Roberts has not replied to questions about the social media posts on his account.