Oliver Ryan is the second MP to lose the whip over leaked messages from the “Trigger me timbers” chat, after Health Minister Andrew Gwynne was sacked from his post and suspended by Labour
Burnley MP Oliver Ryan has been suspended by Labour over his membership of a vile WhatsApp group.
He is the second MP to lose the whip over leaked messages from the “Trigger me timbers” chat, after Health Minister Andrew Gwynne was sacked for his involvement. Both MPs have lost the Labour whip, meaning they will sit as independents in Parliament.
Mr Ryan, 29, was hauled before Chief Whip Alan Campbell today after he admitted to making “unacceptable” comments in the WhatsApp group made up of Labour councillors and activists in Greater Manchester. He apologised on Sunday night for his part in a chat filled with racist, sexist and other offensive messages.
Mr Ryan, who is gay, appeared to mock a fellow Labour MP, who hasn’t been named, over his sexuality in the group. He also reportedly used an offensive nickname to refer to local Labour leader Colin Bailey.
Mr Ryan only became an MP in July, and was previously a Tameside councillor.
Mr Gwynne was sacked as a minister and suspended by the party after he allegedly joked that he hoped an elderly woman would die after she asked about her bins. Other messages included a racist comment about veteran MP Diane Abbott and sharing a sexist post about Angela Rayner performing a sex act.
Downing Street said Keir Starmer “will not hesitate to take action” against minister that fail to meet high standards. The PM’s official spokesman said: “His determination to uphold high standards of conduct in public office and lead Government in service of working people… He will not hesitate to take action against any minister who fails to meet these standards, as he has done in this case.”
Asked if ministers should be calling out offensive remarks, the spokesman added: “He set out the expectation of high standards of conduct.”
Police have recorded a “non-crime hate incident” after complaints about the messages – a record kept by officers of speech or actions deemed hostile to characteristics like race, sex or disability.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “We have received a small number of complaints relating to publicised messages allegedly from a WhatsApp group. A non-crime hate incident has been recorded and we are in contact with our Parliamentary liaison as part of our initial enquiries.”
A Labour Party 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.”
On Sunday, Mr Ryan posted a statement on X saying some of the comments made in the group were “completely unacceptable, and I fully condemn them”. He added: “I regret not speaking out at the time, and I recognise that failing to do so was wrong.
“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.”
Mr Gwynne apologised on Saturday for “any offence I’ve caused” and expressed regret over the remarks, but did not suggest he would stand down as an MP. “I’ve served the Labour Party all my life and it was a huge honour to be appointed a minister by Keir Starmer,” he wrote.
He was replaced at the Department of Healthy by Ashley Dalton, the MP for West Lancashire. She served as a Shadow Equalities Minister in opposition.