DENTON MP Andrew Gwynne is now the subject of an investigation by Parliament’s standards watchdog.
Mr Gwynne was sacked as a health minister and suspended by the Labour Party earlier this month after shocking WhatsApp exchanges came to light.
The MP, who is now sitting as an independent for the Gorton and Denton constituency, apologised for any offence caused by his “badly misjudged comments” in the group called ‘Trigger Me Timbers’.
Parliament’s website says the investigation relates to paragraph 11 of the members’ code of conduct, which states that “members shall never undertake any action which would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole, or of its members generally”.
An investigation was opened this week by Daniel Greenberg, the commissioner for standards, who looks into potential breaches of parliamentary rules.
If he decides any rules have been broken, cases can be referred to MPs sitting on the Committee on Standards, who can impose sanctions – which can include suspension from the House of Commons.
Among the messages initially leaked to the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Mr Gwynne ‘joked’ about a constituent being “mown down” by a bin lorry and said he hoped a 72-year-old woman would soon die after she asked a councillor about bin collections.
The 50-year-old – an MP of 20 years, firstly in the Denton and Reddish constituency – also reportedly posted sexist comments about Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and racist remarks about veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott.
Both Ashton-under-Lyne MP Ms Rayner and Stalybridge and Hyde MP Mr Reynolds – himself the subject of a probe into his claimed credentials as a solicitor before he was elected – have both expressed their ‘disgust’ over the WhatsApp controversy which has caused national anger.
Mr Gwynne was axed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention – a role he took up following last summer’s general election – on February 9.
The WhatsApp group contained Labour councillors, party officials and at least one other MP, with thousands of messages believed to have been posted between 2019 and 2022.
Greater Manchester Police said it had also received a “small number” of complaints about the group and has recorded a non-crime hate incident.
Oliver Ryan – newly-elected MP for Burnley in Lancashire – was also suspended and apologised for statements made during his time as an Audenshaw councillor “which I deeply regret and would not make today”.
Ten Tameside councillors, including executive members and former leaders, have also had the party whip removed by Labour as a result of the WhatsApp furore.
A Labour Party spokesperson said “swift action” will always be taken where individuals are “found to have breached the high standards expected of them as Labour Party members”.
The current council leader, Cllr Eleanor Wills, is also set to face a motion of no confidence on March 4, tabled by the Conservatives, after an extraordinary meeting of the authority was granted.