Second Labour MP apologises over WhatsApp comments

Following the dismissal of Andrew Gwynne for sending messages in the same WhatsApp group, another Labour MP has apologized for his comments within the group. Oliver Ryan, the MP for Burnley, stated in a statement that his comments in the group were "completely unacceptable" and expressed regret for "not calling out the issues at the time." His apology indicates a recognition of the severity of the situation and his role in it.

This comes after The Mail on Sunday reported that Gwynne sent a series of offensive and abusive messages in the WhatsApp group, which also included other Labour figures. Gwynne was subsequently sacked as Shadow Health Minister on Saturday. A government source told the Press Association that Labour whips would be speaking to Ryan, "with all options on the table." This suggests that further disciplinary action could be taken against Ryan depending on the outcome of the discussion.

Ryan added: "I didn’t see every message but I accept I have a responsibility to be more active in challenging what was said and I am sorry that I wasn’t. I myself have made comments that I deeply regret and wouldn’t make today and I wholeheartedly apologise for these." Ryan stated that the WhatsApp group, reportedly called "Trigger Me Timbers," was created by his "parliamentary colleague and former employer Andrew Gwynne." This clarifies the origin and context of the controversial group chat.

Ryan said he would fully cooperate with Labour’s investigation, which was launched after Gwynne’s messages were revealed. Gwynne has been suspended and issued a statement on X, apologizing for any offense caused by comments that represented a "serious error of judgment." According to messages seen by The Mail on Sunday, Gwynne had stated that he hoped a 72-year-old woman died shortly after she wrote to a local councillor about a bin collection issue. The investigation aims to uncover the full extent of the inappropriate behavior within the group.

The former Shadow Health Minister had also reportedly made sexist comments about Angela Rayner, racist comments about Labour MP Diane Abbott, and appeared to downplay antisemitism. Ryan’s involvement in the group was reported by the paper the following day. Following Gwynne's dismissal, a government spokesperson said that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was "determined to maintain the high standards expected of those in public office" and that he "will not hesitate to take action against any who fall short of those standards." A Labour spokesperson added: "Swift action will be taken if anyone is found to have breached the high standards of behaviour expected as a Labour member." The party is committed to addressing the issues raised by the WhatsApp group messages.

Ryan, 29, said he was a member of the WhatsApp group from 2019 until early 2022, when he was a councillor on Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. He was first elected as an MP last July. He added: "Some of the comments in the group were completely unacceptable and I utterly condemn them. I regret that I didn’t call out the issues at the time and I recognise that it was wrong not to do so." Ryan acknowledges his past involvement and expresses remorse for his inaction at the time.

An independent councillor on Tameside Borough Council, Kalil Khan, said he had submitted a "hate crime report" to the police on Sunday after constituents raised concerns with him about some of the messages. He told the BBC: "What worries me is when you have an elected official mocking women, mocking black people, Jewish people, constituents." Khan said he had also written to the council asking for an investigation into the behaviour of councillors in the WhatsApp group. "I work with them, I’m very surprised at one or two of them that they didn’t point it out," he told the BBC, adding: "I’m very, very surprised they didn’t stop it and leave the group." This highlights the broader impact of the incident and the potential for further investigations.

Also on Sunday, Conservative Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart told Sky News he questioned whether members of the WhatsApp group had called out Gwynne’s comments at the time. "It’s a big WhatsApp group, there are lots of other Labour members – did any of them intervene at the time? Did any of them call it out?" he said. He added that Gwynne’s message about the elderly voter was "a pretty nasty attempt to demean an elderly person" and that another message about someone’s name sounding "too Jewish" was "sinister." Burghart's comments add a political dimension to the controversy, questioning Labour's internal oversight and response to the situation.