Latest news with #PublicHealthMinister
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.
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Thailand Moves To Ban Recreational Cannabis After Three Years Of Decriminalization
People walk past the Mary Jane Cannabis Dispensary, a legal marijuana shop on Sukhumvit Road, ... More Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand completely legalized the production, sales and consumption of marijuana products in June 2022. (Photo by: Andy Soloman/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Thailand is planning to reintroduce a ban on recreational cannabis use, limiting consumption to medical purposes only, after three years of decriminalization that saw a rapid expansion of the recreational market. The move follows Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin's signing of a new directive this week to regulate cannabis, allowing its use strictly for medical purposes and banning unlicensed cannabis sales. Under the proposed changes, reported by local news outlet Khaosod, individuals seeking to purchase cannabis must present a doctor's prescription and a medical certificate confirming their condition. Retailers will be required to have a licensed doctor on-site in order to apply for or renew a license to sell cannabis. Minister Somsak also reportedly said cannabis may be reclassified as a narcotic, though it remains unclear when the new regulation will take effect or when the reclassification will occur. The Flourishing Thai Gray Market For Recreational Cannabis Recriminalization would mark a significant shift for Thailand, which became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis in 2022, following its move to legalize medical use in 2018. The decriminalization of recreational cannabis created a grey market, with dispensaries opening across the country, particularly in popular tourist areas. However, the market has remained unregulated. The rise of recreational cannabis in Thailand has also been linked to an increase in cross-border smuggling, including into Europe. Illegal shipments to the UK had surged, with Border Force intercepting 15 tonnes of cannabis in the mail by the end of last year. In April, the UK Home Office reported a sharp decline in cannabis shipments arriving by post from Thailand, with volumes falling by 90% over three months following a new partnership with Thai Customs. Efforts to recriminalize cannabis are not new. The issue sparked tensions between the ruling Pheu Thai Party and its former coalition partner, Bhumjaithai, whose leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, had been a key proponent of the 2022 decriminalization policy. As Health Minister in May 2022, Anutin announced that the ministry would distribute one million cannabis plants to Thai households for cultivation without a license. In 2023, then-Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pledged to roll back the 2022 cannabis legislation as part of an extended anti-narcotics campaign promised during the election. Since taking office, the Pheu Thai Party has made several attempts to bring cannabis under stricter drug control measures, but those efforts were repeatedly withdrawn following opposition from the Bhumjaithai Party. A comprehensive cannabis bill, introduced last year and seen as a compromise alternative to full recriminalization, aimed to regulate the cannabis industry without recriminalizing its recreational use but has not yet been approved. Cannabis Ban Amid Political Turmoil The crackdown on recreational cannabis occurs amid a delicate political crisis. Since 2023, when the elections were held, the Thai government has seen the appointment of three prime ministers amid several political crises. The new Prime Minister of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who also heads the Pheu Thai Party and took office in August 2024, is now confronting one of the biggest tests of her short period in office. In June 2025, a leaked telephone call between her and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen sparked a strong nationalist backlash after she appeared to criticize a Thai military general, which is a highly sensitive matter in Thailand's political environment. This triggered the withdrawal of the Bhumjaithai Party from the government on June 18, causing the loss of majority support in her government. Nonetheless, Paetongtarn has proceeded with a cabinet reshuffle.
Bloomberg
24-06-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
Thailand Set to Make Weed Illegal Again After Political Turmoil
The Thai government is moving to re-criminalize cannabis — except for medical use — after a pro-weed party quit the coalition, with political turmoil becoming the latest threat to the massive and largely unregulated industry. A new health ministry notification requiring medical prescriptions for cannabis was signed earlier this week and should become effective imminently, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said on Tuesday. A failure to formulate cannabis regulations following its 2022 decriminalization has led to the mushrooming of more than 10,000 dispensaries and widespread recreational use, he said.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vaccine against gonorrhoea to roll out in Scotland
A new vaccine against gonorrhoea will be rolled out in Scotland in August following a UK-wide rise in cases. The illness, which is the second most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Scotland is potentially painful and in rare cases can be life-threatening. Scottish cases have risen in recent years, with 5,999 infections in 2023 - a rise of 59% from before the Covid pandemic. Those eligible for the vaccine will include gay and bisexual men at highest risk of infection, as well those involved in selling or exchanging sex, regardless of their gender. Syphilis and drug-resistant gonorrhoea increasing World-first gonorrhoea vaccine launched by NHS England as infections soar Doctors and charities call for gonorrhoea vaccine roll-out Those most affected by gonorrhoea in the UK are those aged 16 to 25, gay and bisexual men, and those of black and Caribbean ancestry. The vaccine, which is 30-40% effective, is also being delivered in England and Northern Ireland. Doctors and charities called for vaccinations earlier this year after the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended a targeted roll-out in November 2023. The Scottish government is funding the vaccination programme north of the border. Public Health Minister Jenny Minto said the campaign was "urgent and timely since the number of diagnoses has been high and the disease is becoming increasingly difficult to treat with antibiotics". She added: "The science tells us that this vaccine will potentially protect thousands of people and prevent the spread of infection. "Anything which stops people from contracting gonorrhoea in the first place can have huge benefits, including ensuring our health system remains resilient by reducing the amount of treatment needed." Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, head of the vaccination and immunisation division at Public Health Scotland, said the jab was a "welcome new intervention". He said: "This vaccination programme is expected to help control and prevent the spread of gonorrhoea. "Public Health Scotland is working with the Scottish government and colleagues across NHS boards to finalise plans for the rollout of this targeted vaccination, offering to those at increased risk of gonorrhoea from August 2025." The vaccine was not designed for gonorrhoea - it is the meningitis B vaccine currently given to babies. The bacteria that cause the two diseases are so closely related that the MenB jab appears to cut gonorrhoea cases by around a third. However, it will not eliminate the risk of catching gonorrhoea - it is normally caught while having sex without a condom. Prof Andrew Pollard, the chair of the JCVI which recommended the vaccine, said despite it only being 30% effective, it was "worth having" and could have "a huge impact" overall. Gonorrhoea is also becoming increasingly difficult to treat. Most cases are treated with a single dose of antibiotics, but there is an 80-year history of the bacterium which causes gonorrhoea repeatedly evolving resistance to antibiotics. This is also happening to current treatments and is why some doctors are concerned gonorrhoea could one day become untreatable. They say the best way to deal with a drug-resistant infection is to never catch it in the first place.
CNA
12-06-2025
- Health
- CNA
Thai medical council upholds sanctions on doctors involved in ex-PM Thaksin's case
Thailand's Medical Council has voted overwhelmingly to override a veto by Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin in a case involving the hospital detention of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The council had earlier sanctioned three doctors who had facilitated Mr Thaksin's controversial stay at the Police General Hospital last year. Jeremy Koh reports.
