Latest news with #AndrewGwynne
Daily Mail
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
MP who was suspended over vile WhatsApp group 'embarrassingly' admits he edited a photo to make it look like he'd gone to Armed Forces Day
An MP who was suspended over a vile WhatsApp group has 'embarrassingly' admitted he edited a photo to make it look like he attended Armed Forces Day. Andrew Gwynne, the member for Gorton and Denton, Greater Manchester, was exposed for his racist and sexist comments by The Mail on Sunday in February. The former public health minister's remarks in the chat called Trigger Me Timbers included a vile post saying he hoped a pensioner who did not vote Labour would die before the next election. The MP, who apologised for his 'badly misjudged comments', is now under investigation by the Commons' standards watchdog over potentially 'causing significant damage to the reputation of the House'. When this newspaper revealed the messages in February, Mr Gwynne was sacked as a health minister and 'administratively suspended' by the Labour party immediately. And now, he has posted an image purporting to be of him at Armed Forces Day celebrations in his home town of Denton on Saturday, June 28. But members of the public quickly noticed his pose and attire were the exact same as a shot of him on the other side of his constituency, in Levenshulme, the day before. Mr Gwynne has since apologised: 'It [was] just a simple mistake. As soon as I saw it had been posted I removed it. 'I had forwarded 15 images taken by my son to my office, who do my social media posts. 'I don't look at social media anymore as it's not good for my mental ill health which I'm really struggling with right now. 'I do, however, do the infographics that go up as no-one else can use Canva since Tim [Hammersley-Rich, his former senior researcher] left. 'I had intended [to do] a covering photo apologising for not being in attendance and this is the early saved part of that from Canva, which must have saved to my camera roll and I forwarded it with the rest. 'In the end, I just thought it best to have pics from the day without an explanation which is what's up. 'A simple, honest mistake rectified very quickly and just a little bit embarrassing.' Mr Gwynne's constituency office stands besides Denton's Victoria Park, where the event to celebrate and honour service men and women took place. But it has also been the scene of demonstrations calling for the resignation of the MP, who since his suspension has served as an independent candidate. The face of his Tameside borough councillor wife Allison Gwynne, who is also suspended over the WhatsApp scandal, has been scrawled over on information posters. And Tony Moran, a Labour Party member of 56 years who has worked alongside Mr Gwynne in Denton, told of his feelings on the controversy. The chair of the town's Victoria Park Community Centre aid: 'This has cut deep. If he thinks he's coming back, he must be deluded, because he's toxic now as an MP. 'Nobody will vote for him now. He was laughing at people behind their backs. 'People have been upset and felt betrayed because some of the comments are about some of the people he's supposed to be representing. 'And if I saw him, I'd say, "Hang your head in shame". 'What Andrew's done, though, is he's created a cult and if you're not in that cult, he doesn't answer you. 'Sometimes you have to have a s*** sandwich and you have to deal with it. But no. He's very immature. He's passionate about being liked, he doesn't like rejection. 'Everybody in life goes through a dark patch, don't they? If he's saying, "I'm mentally ill", I'd be the first to say, "Right, how can we help you? What can we do?"' 'If he's using it as a card, it's too big an issue.' Mr Gwynne is not the first Tameside MP to be caught up in a row over using doctored images. In 2007, then Stalybridge and Hyde representative James Purnell faced controversy over a picture purporting to show him at Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne. The snap also featured other MPs, including a young Mr Gwynne, who has served as a member in the area since 2005. But in fact, Mr Purcell's image was actually inserted into the photograph - as he had not shown up to the photo call on time. The hospital said in a statement: 'As we would not be able to stage a repeat of this historic day for the hospital, we decided to take a photograph of Mr Purnell in the same spot very shortly after, and merge it with the earlier photograph, to which Mr Purnell kindly consented. 'We apologise if anyone feels misled.' Mr Gwynne (pictured in 2019) was stripped of his job as health minister and had his membership of the Labour Party suspended by Sir Keir Starmer when he was told by The Mail on Sunday about vile WhatsApp messages the MP had sent But his office said at the time: 'It is not as if he was never there. In no way did James say, "Just add me in so it looks like I was there".' Mr Gwynne was stripped of his job as health minister and had his membership of the Labour Party suspended by Sir Keir Starmer when he was told by The Mail on Sunday about vile WhatsApp messages the MP had sent. A Government spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister is determined to uphold high standards of conduct in public office. He will not hesitate to take action against any Minister who fails to meet these standards, as he has in this case.' In one particularly shocking comment, the Gorton and Denton MP said he hoped a 72-year-old woman would soon be dead after she dared to ask about her bins. He also made anti-Semitic slights and 'jokes' about a constituent being 'mown down' by a truck in the leaked messages from the local group chat called Trigger Me Timbers. The Stockport resident wrote to her local councillor saying she hadn't voted Labour, but added: 'As you have been re-elected I thought it would be an appropriate time to contact you with regard to the bin collections.' After the councillor shared the letter among fellow Labour figures in the WhatsApp group, Mr Gwynne wrote a suggested response: '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.' In one particularly shocking comment, the Gorton and Denton MP (pictured in 2017) said he hoped a 72-year-old woman would soon be dead after she dared to ask about her bins 'All-outs' are elections at which every council seat is contested at once. Accepting his fate after The Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed his vile messages, Mr Gwynne wrote on social media: 'I deeply regret my badly misjudged commments 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.' The messages were exchanged in a group called Trigger Me Timbers, which Mr Gwynne shares with more than a dozen Labour councillors, party officials and at least one other MP, all based on the outskirts of Manchester. The MoS gained access to thousands of messages from the closed group, which was set up in 2019, and discovered a barrage of abusive texts. Among them are: Mr Gwynne saying someone 'sounds too Jewish' and 'too militaristic', apparently from their name alone; Racist comments about veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott, mocking her historic achievement in becoming the first black MP at either Despatch Box for Prime Minister's Questions; Sexist comments about Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner performing a sex act; Mr Gwynne mocking a local Labour leader as 'Colin C*mface'. It comes after the former councillor (pictured) was investigated over comments in the WhatsApp group Shortly after, a second MP was suspended by Labour over their membership of the vile WhatsApp group. Oliver Ryan, the 29-year-old Burnley MP, lost the Labour whip in Parliament and now sits as an independent in the House of Commons. It comes after the former councillor was investigated over comments in the WhatsApp group. Police confirmed they had received complaints about the WhatsApp messages and had recorded a non-crime hate incident while making 'initial inquiries'. In the private chat, Mr Ryan took part with others in apparently homophobic banter as they joked about a fellow Labour MP being gay. In a series of posts, Mr Ryan also made cruel remarks about a local Labour leader and life-long lollipop man in Greater Manchester called Colin Bailey. A Labour spokesman said: 'As part of our WhatsApp group investigation, Oliver Ryan has been administratively suspended as a member of the Labour Party. 'As soon as this group was brought to our attention, a thorough investigation was immediately launched and this process is ongoing in line with the Labour Party's rules and procedures. 'Swift action will always be taken where individuals are found to have breached the high standards expected of them as Labour Party members.' The Tories at the time demanded Sir Keir Starmer now expel both Mr Ryan and Mr Gywnne from Labour and 'show some leadership'. But a senior Labour figure earlier dodged on whether those MPs involved in the WhatsApp group should be kicked out of the party for good. Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle condemned the messages exchanged in the group - but insisted 'anyone can make mistakes'. It was claimed earlier this month Labour had privately urged Mr Gwynne not to resign - for fears of losing another by-election to Nigel Farage's Reform UK. Sources said the former health minister, who now serves as an Independent MP, was facing appeals from party officials at national and local level not to resign and trigger a by-election in his Gorton and Denton seat. They said Labour was 'scared stiff' that if he stood down, it would hand Mr Farage another by-election triumph akin to Reform's shock victory in Runcorn and Helsby last month. But local Labour officials are also said to be worried snatching Mr Gwynne's Greater Manchester seat would give Reform a platform to oust nearby Labour big-hitters Deputy PM Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds at the next general election. The claims came after Sir Keir made clear he now considered Reform to be Labour's main enemy, saying the Tory party was 'sliding into the abyss'. In the Runcorn and Helsby contest, Mr Farage's party overturned a 14,696 Labour majority. With a 13,413 majority, Mr Gwynne's seat looks to be even more vulnerable. One insider predicted: 'With Reform riding high in the polls, there'd be only one winner if Gwynne resigned from the Commons and that'd be the candidate Nigel Farage picked to stand. 'There's no way Labour would hold it – they're scared still of Reform.' The 72-year-old from Stockport who Mr Gwynne insulted said she was angry he had not stood down yet. She added:: 'If he wants to resign, Labour should allow it. I know Reform has won a seat, and they don't want to lose another.' But one Labour MP dismissed the idea the party wanted Mr Gywnne to stay on, stressing the strong action it had taken when his offensive messages were revealed.
The Sun
29-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
MP suspended over ‘vile' WhatsApp comments admits posting fake photo showing him at Armed Forces event
AN MP suspended over 'vile' WhatsApp comments has admitted posting a fake photo showing him at an Armed Forces Day event. Voters spotted the image of Andrew Gwynne supposedly in his home town of Denton, Greater Manchester, was the same as a shot of him on the other side of his constituency the day before. Mr Gwynne said: 'It was a simple mistake. 'As soon as I saw it had been posted I removed it.' 'A simple, honest mistake rectified very quickly and just a little bit embarrassing.' The ex-public health minister is being probed over a WhatsApp group used by Manchester Labour politicians. Mr Gwynne's constituency office stands besides Denton's Victoria Park, where the Armed Forces Day event took place. However, it has also been the scene of demonstrations calling for his resignation and the face of his councillor wife Allison, who is also suspended, has been scrawled over on information posters. The chair of the town's Victoria Park Community Centre aid: 'This has cut deep. 'If he thinks he's coming back, he must be deluded. 'Nobody will vote for him now. Mr Gwynne is not the first Tameside MP to be caught up in a row over using doctored images. In 2007, then Stalybridge and Hyde representative James Purnell was embroiled in a debate over a picture at Tameside Hospital showing other MPs, including a young Mr Gwynne. New Labour MP issues grovelling apology after making vile post about Estonians 1
Times
29-06-2025
- Health
- Times
Third delay to ME care plan prompts backlash from patients
Health ministers have delayed a plan for the future treatment of the debilitating condition myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) for the third time in nine months. Work on the ME Delivery Plan — which the government claims will boost research, advance medical education and improve patients' lives — began more than three years ago under the Conservative health secretary, Sajid Javid. Labour ministers have repeatedly pledged to publish the plan and have yet to explain why it has been delayed. Last October the public health minister at the time, Andrew Gwynne, said the government planned to publish 'in the winter of 2024/25'. In December, responding to the inquest into the death of the ME patient, Maeve Boothby O'Neill, 27, the minister told a coroner 'we aim to publish by the end of March'. On June 5, Gwynne's successor, Ashley Dalton, said it was 'a priority for the department to publish the final ME delivery plan by the end of June 2025'. On Saturday, however, a health department spokesperson would only say the plan would be published 'shortly'. ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) affects at least 400,000 people in England and Wales. Many people with long Covid experience similar symptoms. The illness is characterised by extreme fatigue, disturbed sleep that does not bring rest and a flare-up of symptoms after even mild exertion (known as post exertional malaise). It is usually triggered by a viral infection and there is no proven cure or treatment. About 25 per cent of sufferers become severely ill with many housebound or bedbound. In a small number of cases patients die. The Times understands the ME initiative has been put on the back burner because the health secretary, Wes Streeting, is determined that nothing should distract from the promotion of his ten-year plan for the NHS. In a further blow to the hopes of ME patients, Streeting has also ruled out any new money for the delivery plan and rejected appeals for a ring-fenced fund to advance ME research. The plea for a specific funding resource was made in a letter signed by all 72 Liberal Democrat MPs. But the health secretary has written back saying ring fencing ME funding 'goes against our commitment to open competition to ensure transparency and scientific excellence'. His statement appears to contradict previous government awards such as the £50 million five-year commitment made in 2021 to finance research into Motor Neurone Disease while last year the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) called for proposals to address 'evidence gaps in liver disease research'. The NIHR is also running an 'open call' for a five-year research consortium to prevent cardiovascular disease. ME campaigners had lobbied for a similar scheme to build a research network and are surprised by Streeting's response. Helen Morgan, the Liberal Democrat health spokesperson, said people with ME and their carers had been left behind for decades. 'They have faced inadequate care, scant research funding, no treatments and little hope of a better future,' she said. 'Further delay to the Delivery Plan for ME is inexcusable. People with ME are right to feel that improving this situation is not a priority for this government. The government must think again, publish the plan without delay and allocate it the resources it needs to make a real difference.' • Severely ill patient with ME begs for home feeding Sonya Chowdhury, of the charity Action for ME, said she was 'deeply dismayed' by another delay to the delivery plan: 'Just weeks ago, the minister gave a public commitment that the plan would be published by the end of June. This is now the third delay in nine months, and the government's language around publication has become increasingly vague. 'The ME community is once again left in the dark — with no clear timeline, no explanation, and growing doubt over whether the plan will appear at all. What message does this send to a group already fighting for basic recognition, where the most severely affected are so often the most neglected?' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Our thoughts are with all those whose lives have been touched by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. We are committed to improving the care and support for all those affected and will publish a final delivery plan shortly.'
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MP apologises for 'simple honest mistake' after photoshopped picture posted online
A Greater Manchester MP has apologised for a 'simple mistake' after a photoshopped picture was posted to his Facebook page. Independent MP for Gorton and Denton Andrew Gwynne took to his Facebook page yesterday (June 28) to post about Tameside Armed Forces Day, which took place in Denton on Saturday. "Armed forces day in Denton is in full swing," he wrote in the post. "There's lots of fun and entertainment throughout the day up to 4pm in Victoria Park." READ MORE: Battle is on to save hidden school masterpiece READ MORE: 'I was stuck in Glastonbury mosh pit with death chants and fake blood' This was accompanied by a series of photos of the event - one of which appeared to show Mr Gwynne there in person. But eagle-eyed commentators noticed that the photo had been edited. A snap of Mr Gwynne at Levenshulme Market the day before appeared to have been superimposed onto another photo of the event in Denton. In messages seen by the M.E.N, critics claim that this amounted to the MP 'pretending' to have attended - but Mr Gwynne insists that it was 'a simple mistake'. "As soon as I saw it had been posted I removed it," he said in a statement. "I had forwarded 15 images taken by my son to my office who do my social media posts. "I had intended doing a covering photo apologising for not being in attendance and this [photo] is the early saved part of that from Canva [the photo editing app] which must have saved to my camera roll and I forwarded it with the rest. He called it 'a bit embarrassing,' but added: "It was a simple honest mistake." Mr Gwynne has been an MP in Denton since 2005. He was suspended from the Labour party in February this year for comments he had posted in a Whatsapp group used by Manchester Labour politicians. At the time, he wrote on X: "I deeply regret my badly misjudged comments and apologise for any offense I've caused. "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."
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
More Labour MPs join benefit revolt despite ministers' appeals
A growing number of Labour MPs are supporting a bid to block the government's planned welfare changes, despite ministers phoning backbenchers to persuade them to back than 130 MPs, including 120 Labour MPs, have signed an amendment that would give them the opportunity to vote on a proposal to reject plans to cut disability and sickness-related benefits payments to save £5bn a year by ministers are reported to be among those ringing round Labour MPs, calling on them to remove their names from the amendment. Only one Labour MP Samantha Niblett has removed her name from the list so Keir Starmer has vowed to "press ahead" with the welfare changes. Those who signed the amendment opposing the government's welfare reforms include MPs from the 2024 intake, as well as those who were elected MPs before Labour's landslide election victory. The names also include two MPs who were elected for Labour but have been suspended by the party - John McDonnell and Andrew signatories are members of Northern Ireland's political parties as well as Rosie Duffield, who quit Labour to sit as an is believed senior cabinet ministers, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, called MPs who had signed the amendment to try to convince them to vote with the BBC's chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman said some cabinet members were "taken aback by quite how sour the mood is on this issue and fearful that might bleed into a broader problem for this Labour leadership".A source close to the issue told the BBC on Tuesday night: "Once you take a breath, it is better to save some of the welfare package than lose all of it." Parliament is due to vote on the government's welfare reform plans next is still up to the Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle whether this specific amendment gets voted on, but that could now be more likely as a number of other MPs from parties including the SDLP and the DUP have also added their names to the welfare reform bill - called the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill - will include proposals to make it harder for disabled people with less severe conditions to claim personal independence payment (Pip).Speaking on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of Nato leaders, Sir Keir said he planned to "press ahead" with the welfare reforms, despite the objections from within his own party. He said the current welfare system "traps people" on benefits, and was set to fuel "unsustainable" rises in the cost to taxpayers.
