A second MP from the Labour Party has issued an apology following controversial remarks shared within a WhatsApp group, hot on the heels of Andrew Gwynne’s dismissal from his ministerial role due to his participation in the same conversation.
Oliver Ryan, MP for Burnley, acknowledged that his comments were “completely unacceptable” and expressed regret over his silence at the time.
The incident led to the sacking of Gwynne as Health Minister after a report by the Mail on Sunday highlighted his sending of offensive and abusive messages within the group, which included other Labour figures.
Angela Eagle, the Home Office Minister, stated that the Prime Minister had clearly communicated his intolerance for such behaviour and that the party’s chief whip would be addressing the matter with Ryan.
Ryan, who sent the messages before his election as MP, faced scrutiny after the Daily Mail reported on them Sunday evening.
The messages revealed Ryan, who is openly gay, mocking another Labour MP for his sexuality and making disparaging remarks about the vice-chairman of the local Labour Party.
In his statement, Ryan admitted his lack of vigilance and expressed deep regret for comments he made, which he stated he would not repeat today. He fully apologized and committed to cooperating with the Labour Party’s ongoing investigation initiated after Gwynne’s messages came to light.
Gwynne, now suspended from the party, has apologized for comments that were deemed highly inappropriate, including wishing death upon an elderly woman who had complained about bin collections to her local councillor.
The controversy has prompted responses from various quarters, including a government spokesperson who affirmed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s commitment to maintaining high standards in public office. The Labour Party assured that prompt action would be taken against any member failing to uphold these standards.
The affair has stirred significant commentary, with an independent councillor reporting a hate crime to the police and expressing shock at the failure of other elected officials to condemn the inappropriate messages.
This incident underscores ongoing concerns about the conduct of public figures and the expectations of responsibility and decorum in political discourse.
