Andrew Gwynne: ‘Badly misjudged’ WhatsApps leave PM hunting new minister and Labour with one fewer MP

The Prime Minister is weighing up who to appoint as a new health minister after dismissing Andrew Gwynne over alleged prejudiced comments that the MP called “badly misjudged”.

The Gorton and Denton MP, a public health and prevention minister in Wes Streeting’s department, was both dismissed and suspended as a Labour party member following a Mail on Sunday report alleging he had made multiple highly offensive comments about constituents, Diane Abbott and Angela Rayner.

The membership suspension automatically also leaves the Greater Manchester politician sitting without the whip, swelling the ranks of Labour-elected independent MPs once more just days after four other Labour-elected MPs had seen the whip restored. Gwynne joins the suspended Mike Amesbury, Apsana Begum, Zarah Sultana, John McDonnell, as well as Rosie Duffield, who quit the party shortly after the election.

Gwynne’s ‘deep regret’

Gwynne posted on X: “I deeply regret my badly misjudged commments and apologise for any offense 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.”

READ MORE:  Four suspended MPs get the Labour whip back – will the other three ever return?

A government spokesperson told the media: ‘The Prime Minister is determined to uphold high standards of conduct in public office and lead a government in the service of working people. He will not hesitate to take action against any minister who fails to meet these standards, as he has in this case.'”

A party spokesperson told the Mail on Sunday: “Andrew Gwynne has been administratively suspended as a member of the Labour Party.

“We are investigating comments made in this WhatsApp group in line with the Labour Party’s rules and procedures. Swift action will be taken if individuals are found to have breached the high standards expected of them as Labour Party members.’

Alleged Mossad and blackface jokes

Alex Hearn, co-director of Labour Against Anti-Semitism, said one alleged comment by Gwynne – reportedly suggesting someone sounded “too Jewish” and asking if they were in Mossad – was not acceptable. They added: “Themes of disloyal infiltrators crosses the line into classic anti-Jewish racism.”

The series of allegations also include reportedly joking about whether Desmond Swayne or Justin Trudeau were not available when the group were said to have been discussing Diane Abbott’s stand-in for Jeremy Corbyn during Prime Minister’s Questions in 2019. Both Swayne and Trudeau had been embroiled in blackface rows.

Gwynne is further alleged to have jokingly suggested in a WhatsApp group with other Labour figures that one should respond to a constituent’s reported bin complaint with a message that included: “F*** your bins…PS: Hopefully you’ll have croaked it by the all-outs.”

What was Gwynne’s Department of Health ministerial role?

Gwynne’s many duties as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention included pandemics, environmental health, infectious diseases, routine and seasonal immunisations, antimicrobial resistance, health improvement from obesity to sexual health and addiction, international engagement and work on major and long-term conditions such as cancer prevention, diabetes and long-term conditions.

He also oversaw the Food Standards Agency and UK Health Security Agency.

The other ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care are the Secretary of State Wes Streeting, secondary care minister Karin Smyth, care minister Stephen Kinnock and Baronness Merrnon.

Many of Starmer’s appointments since becoming Prime Minister have gone to ministers with previous experience in government or relevant expertise, such as former deputy London mayor for transport Heidi Alexander replacing Louise Haigh as Transport Secretary.

The Labour ranks include several figures with a health background, including public health doctor Beccy Cooper, former nurse Paulette Hamilton, and doctors Simon Opher, Peter Prinsley and Rosena Allin Khan, though Khan recently spoke out over Gaza and previously quit the shadow cabinet.

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