A Greater Manchester MP has been suspended from the Labour Party and sacked as a health minister after allegedly making offensive comments in a WhatsApp group. Hundreds have signed a petition calling for his resignation and demanding accountability.
A government minister has responded to calls for a Greater Manchester MP to stand down and trigger a by-election. The Gorton and Denton MP has been sacked as a health minister and suspended from the Labour Party over 'badly misjudged' comments he made in a WhatsApp group. According to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Gwynne made anti-Semitic slights in the group called 'Trigger Me Timbers' and joked about a Stockport pensioner dying before an election in response to a letter about bin collections.
It is also claimed that Mr Gwynne targeted colleagues Angela Rayner - a fellow Tameside MP - with sexist comments and Dianne Abbot with racist remarks. Former Tameside councillor Oliver Ryan, who is now the MP for Burnley, has also apologised for his involvement in the WhatsApp group while three councillors in Denton have stepped away from their executive roles at the council. A petition calling for the 'immediate resignation' of Mr Gwynne as well as councillors in Denton has now been signed by hundreds of people. The petition demands a police investigation and a parliamentary standards review as well as 'accountability' at the council. Employment minister Justin Madders told the Manchester Evening News this afternoon (February 10) that he understands the 'strength of feelings' among constituents. But he would not go as far as saying that Mr Gwynne should stand down as an MP. Speaking to the M.E.N. during a visit to Greater Manchester, he said: 'I think we've got to wait until the outcome of the disciplinary process. Clearly, he wasn't fit to continue as a minister and that's something the Prime Minister's recognised and acted very quickly on. 'But in terms of any further action there has to be a proper process to be followed.' He added: 'I think it's only right that he's given an opportunity to put it into context, if there is a context. Obviously he's apologised, he's recognised that his comments were inappropriate. 'But clearly, I can understand the strength of feelings amongst constituents having been spoken about like that and certainly no MP should be thinking or even speaking about their constituents in such a derogatory way.' In a statement on X on Saturday (February 8), Mr Gwynne said: 'I deeply regret my badly misjudged comments and apologise for any offense I’ve caused. I’ve served the Labour Party all my life and it was a huge honour to be appointed a minister by Keir Starmer. 'I entirely understand the decisions the PM and the party have taken and, while very sad to have been suspended, will support them in any way I can.' Mr Gwynne has now been suspended as a member of the Labour party and will sit as an independent MP. A Labour spokesperson told the M.E.N. this weekend: 'Andrew Gwynne has been administratively suspended as a member of the Labour Party. We are investigating comments made in this WhatsApp group in line with the Labour Party's rules and procedures. Swift action will be taken if individuals are found to have breached the high standards expected of them as Labour Party members.
Labour Party Greater Manchester MP Suspension Whatsapp Offensive Comments By-Election Resignation
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