Andrew Gwynne Faces Suspension Over Sexist, Racist Remarks in Leaked Chats
Andrew Gwynne, a former Labour Minister, has been dismissed following the emergence of a series of sexist and racist WhatsApp messages in which he allegedly mocked a voter, calling her a “hag” and criticising her home as a “s***” house.
The messages, which were part of a WhatsApp group, also featured Gwynne joking about killing a fellow MP with a pickaxe, reminiscent of the death of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky. In addition, he reportedly expressed his desire for the death of a 72-year-old woman who had asked a local councillor about bin collections.
The group, known as “Trigger Me Timbers”, includes Gwynne and other Labour Party figures from Tameside and Stockport councils. In response to the inappropriate behaviour, Labour has suspended Gwynne, as well as fellow MP Oliver Ryan, and 11 councillors involved in the group.
Gwynne later issued an apology for his “badly misjudged comments” and expressed regret for the offence caused. Ryan also acknowledged his failure to challenge the unacceptable comments when he was part of the group between 2019 and 2022.
Other controversial messages reportedly show Gwynne making derogatory comments about a local resident’s house and expressing frustration during canvassing.
The Labour Party has launched a full investigation into the matter. Both Gwynne and Ryan remain suspended while the party looks into the extent of their involvement in the group. The Conservative Party has called for Gwynne to resign as an MP and face a by-election.
Additionally, Greater Manchester Police have recorded the incident as a “non-crime hate incident” due to the offensive nature of the comments.
