Labour is investigating after Burnley MP Oliver Ryan was found to have made “unacceptable and deeply disappointing” comments in a WhatsApp group.
The party is under pressure to act following Sir Keir Starmer suspending Andrew Gwynne from Labour and removing him as a health minister because of texts he sent.
Mr Ryan was reported by the Mail to have sent the messages in the same Trigger Me Timbers WhatsApp chat where Mr Gwynne sent the offending messages.
Both men have apologised over the texts but remain MPs at the time of the writing, albeit with Mr Gwynne now sitting as an independent.
This is what we know about what was said in the Trigger Me Timbers WhatsApp chat.
What has happened with Labour MP WhatsApp messages?
After the prime minister sacked Andrew Gwynne over his WhatsApp messages, Labour is now investigating reports that a second MP sent offensive texts.
Oliver Ryan, who became an MP last July, reportedly made the comments alongside other members in the group Trigger Me Timbers – which Mr Gwynne set up.
So far, only Mr Ryan and Mr Gwynne have been named but all those involved are said to be party members in the Manchester area. Mr Ryan used to work for Mr Gwynne and their discussions were said to implicate local members.
A dozen or so people were said to be in the chat and it has been claimed at least one other was another Labour MP.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has not said if others in the chat will be suspended, after discussing the incident with the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News.
What did the messages say?
Andrew Gwynne, the MP for Gorton and Denton, is said to have made sexist comments about Angela Rayner, racist remarks about Labour MP Diane Abbott, and ‘joked’ that he hoped a 72-year-old woman “croaked it” after she complained about her bins.
He apparently said: “Dear resident, F*** your bins. I'm re-elected and without your vote. Screw you. PS: Hopefully you'll have croaked it by the all-outs.”
According to the Mail, he also made antisemitic slights and joked about a constituent being “mown down” by a truck when the resident asked for more cycle lanes..
Mr Gwynne’s message to the group reportedly said: “I had positive visions of him getting mown down by an Elsa Waste HGV while he's cycling to the Fallowfield Loop [cycle lane]. We couldn't be that lucky!”
Of Diane Abbot, who became the first black Parliamentarian to represent their party during PMQs, one member of the WhatsApp group is said to have asked: “Who’s ready for Diane at PMQs?”
Mr Gwynne responded: “Yep because its Black History Month apparently.”
Another response reportedly read: “Was David Lammy not available? I’d also take the corpse of [black Labour MP who died in 2000] Bernie Grant.”
Mr Gwynne retorted: “Or Desmond Swayne? Justin Trudeau?” - both of which caused controversy for blackening their faces for fancy dress.
The MP for Gorton and Denton also allegedly said someone sounded “too Jewish” and referred to local Labour leader Colin Bailey as “Colin C*mface”.
In 2021, Angela Rayner faced criticism for claiming £249 Apple wireless headphones on expenses, for which Mr Gwynne reposted a tweet from a parody account, which made lude references and poked fun at her working class background.
The tweet reportedly read: “I don't see what the problem is. It's literally impossible to give a b*** *** while wearing wired headphones. Anyone with a similar background to Angela would understand this.”
Mr Ryan, a gay man, is said to have mocked an unnamed male Labour MP, who has never discussed his sexuality publicly and is not known to be gay.
He is also said to have used an offensive nickname to refer to local Labour leader Colin Bailey.
The Standard cannot verify what was said.
What has been said by those involved?
Both men have apologised.
Mr Gwynne tweeted: “I deeply regret my badly misjudged comments and apologise for any offence 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 Ryan tweeted: “Between 2019 and early 2022, I was a member of a WhatsApp group created by my MP and former employer, Andrew Gwynne.
“Some of the comments made in that group were completely unacceptable, and I fully condemn them.
“I regret not speaking out at the time, and I recognise that failing to do so was wrong.
“I did not see every message, but I accept responsibility for not being more proactive in challenging what was said.
“I also made some comments myself which I deeply regret and would not make today and for that, I wholeheartedly apologise.
“I will cooperate fully with the Labour Party’s investigation.”
What will happen next?
The investigation into Mr Ryan is now continuing and there is a possibility that further investigations will be held.
Mr Pennycook told the Sunday Morning: “I don’t know, personally, what other people on that WhatsApp conversation have said… I’ve been very clear, there’s an investigation taking place into the whole incident.”
