Sir Keir Starmer is under more pressure to boot out up to a dozen Labour figures embroiled in a “vile” WhatsApp scandal.
Health Minister Andrew Gwynne was sacked and suspended from the Labour Party after a string of abusive messages emerged from the private chat.
Gwynne’s posts included antisemitic slurs, mocking a pensioner who did not vote Labour and joking about a constituent being “mown down” by a truck.
Burnley MP Oliver Ryan also issued a grovelling apology yesterday after being named as a member of the “Trigger Me Timbers” groupchat.
Keir Starmer
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Ryan, who was serving as a Tameside Councillor when the messages were sent, said: “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.”
He added: “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.”
Labour is holding an investigation into the messages sent on the WhatsApp group, with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook admitting an investigation could see heads roll.
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Labour MP Andrew Gwynne
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Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart demanded the Prime Minister takes action on the scandal.
He said: “That really does suggest that just beneath the surface, between all the sort of the window dressing that Keir Starmer has done, that with senior Labour politicians, there may still be a very serious problem with antisemitism.
“And I hope that the Prime Minister will get to grips with that immediately.”
Ryan will soon be hauled into the Chief Whip’s office to discuss comments made in the now infamous group chat.
The Burnley MP, who regularly takes aim at Reform UK on social media, is being investigated by Labour over his involvement.
Oliver Ryan is the Labour MP for Burnley
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Dame Angela Eagle said: “My understanding is the Chief Whip will be seeing him today.
“There’s an ongoing investigation into the entirety of that WhatsApp group, Andrew Gwynne has been administratively suspended, that kind of comments are not acceptable.
“So the Prime Minister has taken a very strong stance straight away on all of this as soon as it came to light.”
She added: “The investigation will be about context, will be about who said what when, and that will give the individuals the opportunity to explain themselves.”