MONMOUTH MP Catherine Fookes is calling for the resignation of a councillor from a neighbouring county who has been credited with penning songs with offensive lyrics

Torfaen Reform Party councillor Dave Thomas - the leader of the only Reform council group in Wales - is facing criticism over music he is credited with producing under an alias DJ Dowster which feature lyrics that include references to “bitches” and “pussy” and one song called ‘Spak Attack” which can be a derogatory term for someone with cerebral palsy.

A statement issued by Reform said the songs were not created by Cllr Thomas and the lyrics are samples taken from other songs while Cllr Thomas declined to comment further when contacted by the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He, and two other previously independent councillors, formed the first Reform group in Wales in August when they joined the party and registered as a group on Torfaen Borough Council. All three represent the Llantarnam ward.

Reform is aiming to win its first council seat through the ballot box in Wales at a by-election to Torfaen Borough Council in the Pontypool ward of Trevethin and Penygarn this week.

Cllr Thomas has been active in campaigning in the by-election and also spoke at Reform’s Welsh conference at the Celtic Manor hotel, in Newport, in November. The party achieved second place finishes in 13 Welsh seats, including Torfaen, at the 2024 general election and is polling well ahead of the 2026 Senedd elections where the Nigel Farage led party is hoping to make a breakthrough.

Labour MP for neighbouring Monmouthshire, Catherine Fookes, said Cllr Thomas, who is also a member of Cwmbran Community Council, should resign his seat and his position as a school governor.

She said: “Against the backdrop of an epidemic of violence against women and girls, and the rise of extreme misogyny which encourages young men to hate women, those in public office should stand up and make it clear that there is no place for this kind of language when talking about women, even in song lyrics.

“Councillor Dave Thomas should resign from his positions as both a local councillor and a school governor.”

The Labour leader of Torfaen council, Anthony Hunt, said Cllr Thomas should apologise.

He said: “The lyrics in the songs are deeply offensive and misogynistic. It is not acceptable for this kind of language to come from a publicly elected official, and I am calling on Councillor Dave Thomas to apologise.”

Cllr Thomas was first elected as a Labour councillor and asked if the party had been aware of the songs, some of which appear to date back more than 10 years, and endorsed him as a candidate Cllr Hunt replied: “If we’d been aware we wouldn’t have done, let’s put it that way.”

Cllr Hunt also said he isn’t aware how long ago the songs were performed and said: “We are still finding out about it.”

A statement from Reform said: “These songs were created by Sam Tomsitt and not Cllr Thomas. All lyrics are samples from other music tracks and artists, none originate from Cllr Thomas”

“Reform UK expects and upholds the highest standards for our candidates and elected officials”.

Cllr Thomas said: “All the answers are in the statement from the party.”

Cllr Thomas’ Facebook page for DJ Dowster shows he most recently DJ’d at the White Hut, in Cwmbran, on November 9 which was billed as a “special set”.

‘Dowster’ has been listed as the artist and composer on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon.

The track Spak Attack appears to date from February, 2012.

Another song called ‘Ass and ‘Titties’, includes the lyrics “stanking ass bitches that need to wash up. Don’t get mad when I don’t want to f***’.

“Stanking” is an informal term meaning smells very bad.

As Dowster, and David Thomas, the councillor is listed as the owner and founder of record label Candy Crush Music which released various ‘happy hardcore’ dance music tracks.

Cllr Thomas’ Dowster Facebook page has been largely inactive since 2023 when it had new music to promote but otherwise doesn’t appear to have published content since 2016.