By George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporting Service
DENTON MP Andrew Gwynne has seen a verdict delivered by a member of the public amid a WhatsApp message furore.
Put simply, it is ‘Out, out, out.’
The parliamentary representative of his hometown is currently suspended by the Labour Party following the revelation of comments in the group Trigger Me Timbers.
Nine Tameside councillors, including eight from Denton, have also been sidelined as an investigation begins.
Mr Gwynne is alleged to have made antisemitic slights and joked about a pensioner dying before an election after she raised concerns about bin collections.
Among the latest batch of comments unearthed are ones against fellow Tameside parliamentarian, the now Deputy Prime Minister, Ashton-under-Lyne’s Angela Rayner.
And Mr Gwynne did not have to look far to find out what people think after a sign was posted on his constituency office.
The message read: “OUT OUT OUT. Andrew Gwynne and team Denton South, resign now.
“We the public will not forgive or forget your actions. Do the right thing, resign with dignity.
“OUT OUT OUT.”
Denton South councillors Claire Reid, Jack Naylor and George Newton stepped down from their cabinet positions at Tameside council in the wake of the headlines.
Mr Gwynne’s wife Allison, who represents Denton North East, is also among those suspended by the Labour Party, as well as Cllrs Brenda Warrington, George Jones, Denise Ward and Vincent Ricci and Audenshaw’s Charlotte Martin.
Indeed, Cllr Ricci was not in position as chair of Tameside Council’s Speaker’s Panel (Planning) committee when it met on Wednesday, February 12 – but he was in the public gallery.
Burnley MP Oliver Ryan, an Audenshaw councillor at the time the messages come from – 2019-2022, has also been suspended by the party.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “As part of our WhatsApp group investigation, a group of councillors have been administratively suspended from the Labour Party.
“As soon as this group was brought to our attention, a thorough investigation was launched in line with the Labour Party’s rules and procedures and this process is ongoing.
“Swift action will always be taken where individuals are found to have breached the high standards expected of them as Labour Party members.”