UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Former councillor Gerald Cooney revealed that Labour was informed a year ago about a WhatsApp group with offensive messages but failed to take action.
The ex-Tameside council chief claimed he notified regional officials about the controversial WhatsApp group.
What did Gerald Cooney say about the Labour’s WhatsApp group?
Ex-councillor alleged he repeatedly informed senior Labour officials about the group, named “Trigger Me Timbers.”
Mr Cooney stated that he had reported the group to Liam Didsbury, the former Labour regional director for north-west England, more than a year ago.
He stated that he had alerted Mr Didsbury “ages ago” about Andrew Gwynne “leading” the group and reiterated his concerns “more than once” to Andy Smith, Labour’s regional governance head for north-west England.
As reported by The Guardian, Mr Cooney stated,
“I’ve never been a member of it. I raised it with the region some time ago … I reported it to Liam Didsbury and I reported it to Andy Smith a good while ago; I also reported it over a month ago to Andy Smith again.”
Last October, Labour headquarters announced that it was assigning a team to address “unacceptable working practices” within the Tameside Labour Group.
According to the ex-councillor, senior local officials, including Smith, pressured him to resign as council leader that month following bullying claims, which he denies.
He claimed he first became aware of an inappropriate discussion within the group in March 2021, when Andrew Gwynne reposted a tweet about Angela Rayner buying Apple AirPods, which included an offensive remark.
The former councillor claimed that within Labour’s local networks, it was widely known that Mr Gwynne, the MP for Gorton and Denton, was involved in the group chat.
However, Labour officials, in response to Mr Cooney’s allegations, said the party had not received any official complaint regarding the WhatsApp group.
Did Labour MPs engage in offensive and harmful messaging?
Labour removed Andrew Gwynne from his position as health minister on Saturday over allegations that he posted offensive messages containing racist and sexist comments.
A cycling activist expressed deep distress after learning that Mr Gwynne had made a joking remark about him being “mown down by a lorry.”
The anonymous campaigner stated,
“I’m shocked and upset, and not just myself, but my family, my partner, and my children have been profoundly distressed by this.”
Oliver Ryan, a second Labour MP, is under scrutiny after being linked to a WhatsApp group known for its misogynistic and derogatory content.
How did Andrew Gwynne and Oliver Ryan respond to the allegations of making offensive comments?
Mr Gwynner apologized and posted on X, stating,
“I deeply regret my badly misjudged comments 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 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. 1/2
— Andrew Gwynne MP (@GwynneMP) February 8, 2025
Oliver Ryan expressed regret for his past remarks, stating that he “would not make them today” and pledged to “cooperate fully” with the investigation.
He revealed that from 2019 to early 2022, he was part of the WhatsApp group, “created by my MP and former employer, Andrew Gwynne,” adding, “Some of the comments made in that group were completely unacceptable, and I fully condemn them.”
— Oliver Ryan MP (@OliverRyanUK) February 9, 2025
How did Home Secretary Yvette Cooper respond to the issue of WhatsApp comments?
Yvette Cooper condemned the remarks made in a WhatsApp chat, describing them as not acceptable.
She added, “Those comments were totally unacceptable, and it’s right that action is being taken.”
After Andrew’s removal from his ministerial role, his fellow MPs also criticized his actions and said Keir Starmer would not compromise on ethical values.