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Breaking news: Congratulations to Andrew Gwynne who wins the ministerial sack race of 2025

(199 Posts)
M0nica Sat 08-Feb-25 18:50:58

The Labour MP for Gorton & Denton was tonight sacked as a health minister after the Mail on Sunday revealed his vile WhatsApps. After a 72-year-old local resident got in touch with Gwynne’s constituency party to complain about her bin collection, the MP wrote a suggested response: ‘Dear resident, Fuck your bins. I’m re-elected and without your vote. Screw you. PS: Hopefully you’ll have croaked it by the all-outs.’
Charming.

All the above is a quote from this week's Spectator. What a lovely man, I am so glad he is not my MP

The messages were exchanged in a group called ‘Trigger Me Timbers’, which Gwynne shares with more than a dozen Labour councillors, party officials and at least one other MP, all based on the outskirts of Manchester. The MoS gained access to thousands of messages from the closed group, which was set up in 2019, and discovered a barrage of abusive texts. Among them are Gwynne saying someone ‘sounds too Jewish’ and ‘too militaristic’ apparently from their name alone, and sexist comments about Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner performing a sex act.

AGAA4 Sun 09-Feb-25 10:51:42

However good an MP he may have been doesn't make up for the vitriolic
attack on a 72 year old woman and wishing her dead.
Someone who thinks like that shouldn't be an MP.

Lathyrus3 Sun 09-Feb-25 10:54:18

But anyway, saying someone else in Government was also contemptuous doesn’t make Gwynnes contempt any better.

I’ve never understood that argument. X did something bad. Y did worse. So that makes X ok🤔🙄

Rula Sun 09-Feb-25 10:56:15

Must have been drunk a lot. Apparently these messages weren't made on the same day.

Grammaretto Sun 09-Feb-25 10:58:12

I think he has to resign as an MP.
Do it now Mr Gwynne - you horrible man.

Boz Sun 09-Feb-25 10:59:55

What's the bet that Labour wont sack him, which would mean a by-election that Reform would probably win.

MaizieD Sun 09-Feb-25 11:02:45

Lathyrus3

But anyway, saying someone else in Government was also contemptuous doesn’t make Gwynnes contempt any better.

I’ve never understood that argument. X did something bad. Y did worse. So that makes X ok🤔🙄

I'm not saying that it does.

I'm saying that we have a number of hypocrites posting on Gnet.

(Nor am I saying that you defended Johnson, either)

Grammaretto Sun 09-Feb-25 11:03:30

Boz

What's the bet that Labour wont sack him, which would mean a by-election that Reform would probably win.

He should have thought of that possibility before he wrote those hideous, cruel messages.
He must be very stupid.

maddyone Sun 09-Feb-25 11:08:46

There should be a by-election whenever any MP behaves reprehensibly, as this man has done. I agree with Casdon who said this upthread.

Whilst Keir Starmer has acted quickly, he hasn’t gone far enough. It is hard for me and others to believe that he has dealt with the antisemitism in his Party when we see that a Labour MP making comments such as these he's too Jewish. It shows us that antisemitism has merely been swept under the carpet.

We need more decisive action from Keir Starmer.

maddyone Sun 09-Feb-25 11:10:21

Did Johnson make antisemitic comments?

Grandmabatty Sun 09-Feb-25 11:13:33

Johnson called black children 'piccaninnies' and women in hijabs 'letterboxes' and more. His comments were worse in my opinion

Grandmabatty Sun 09-Feb-25 11:14:16

Not worse than the labour MP, I hasten to add. I was responding to maddyone

AGAA4 Sun 09-Feb-25 11:14:53

On LK this morning Laura accused Angela Rayner of calling one of the conservative MPs a vile name. She declined to comment.
I can believe this behaviour is rife in all parties but kept hidden.
When it's exposed to the public it has too have consequences.

Mollygo Sun 09-Feb-25 11:15:09

There are as always, a few people on this thread trying to make some mileage out of the fact that he is a Labour MP

In exactly the same way as any misdeeds or crass words by any MP are always primarily headlined by the party to which the wrong-doer belongs, whether Labour, Conservative, Green, LibDem or Reform.

It’s a bit hypocritical as mentioned by MaizieD, for anyone to imply anything different.

I will be interested to see if Boz is correct with either part of this.
What's the bet that Labour wont sack him, which would mean a by-election that Reform would probably win.

maddyone Sun 09-Feb-25 11:18:05

Grandmabatty

Johnson called black children 'piccaninnies' and women in hijabs 'letterboxes' and more. His comments were worse in my opinion

Thanks for reminding me Grandmabatty, I had forgotten.

MaizieD Sun 09-Feb-25 11:22:10

maddyone

Grandmabatty

Johnson called black children 'piccaninnies' and women in hijabs 'letterboxes' and more. His comments were worse in my opinion

Thanks for reminding me Grandmabatty, I had forgotten.

He also fucked business and said it was fine for many old people to die of Covid, 'let the bodies pile high...' Just banter, you understand...

TerriBull Sun 09-Feb-25 11:22:38

Why can't we accept there have been MPs across the political spectrum who are unsuitable for the role which is a public serpant, often self serving and yes there are those who don't want us, the electorate, to really know what they think of us, but then they go and out themselves so not only unsuitable for the role they hold, but stupid with it.

TerriBull Sun 09-Feb-25 11:24:15

Oops servant not serpant. Oh I don't know though on second thoughts maybe serpant.

Wyllow3 Sun 09-Feb-25 11:25:42

"I wonder if we all saw private emails, letters, texts from the entire HOC how shocked would we all be? Chat over dinner party tables as well"
I'd add groups in other powerful positions in business and industry.
The public Frank Hestor remarks in 2024 typify this, and public reports of misogynist remarks litter still recent years.

Sadly Social Media is full of them.

Our standards have thankfully changed - well, changing.

What was spoken out loud - or written in newspapers 10 or 20 years ago - examples above - is now unacceptable from MP's and other public figures on WhatSapp, and quite right too, despite its current prevalence on SM.

We should expect the best from public figures whatever Party or significant group they speak for.

maddyone Sun 09-Feb-25 11:31:46

I’d forgotten that too Maizie.
Not banter, unpleasant and unacceptable.

Shinamae Sun 09-Feb-25 11:44:19

Oreo

I wonder if we all saw private emails, letters, texts from the entire HOC how shocked would we all be? Chat over dinner party tables as well.
Yes he was stupid to put it on his closed chat group, joking around in this manner will always come back to bite you.
Starmer had to act quickly especially as Labour isn’t at all popular at the minute but I don’t feel as affected by this gaffe as the rest of you.There’s been far worse behaviour by very many MP’s in my view.

MP’s are in a position of privilege and power and as such should have respect for the electorate,SHOULD but over the years their various shenanigans have left me cold, Across most parties.
The expenses scandal the duck house,etc that only came to light because an MP’s husband downloaded a porn movie 🤨
The Tory “party” (Get together, whatever) where that woman thought it was so funny to say is it a meeting she was laughing she was sacked.
I despair of a lot of them 🤨most of them are liars and thieves out to feather their own nest and bugger the electorate..
I said most,there are also a fair number of good MPs who do a good job and care about their Constituents

Rula Sun 09-Feb-25 11:47:49

Did you hear Boris say that about Boris? All I know about it was the not so charming Dominic Cummings said he said it.

Rula Sun 09-Feb-25 11:48:16

Boris about Boris? Bodies, bodies

eazybee Sun 09-Feb-25 11:52:25

Public officials are aware their words, written and spoken, are subject to scrutiny, and are unutterably stupid to commit these sorts of offensive comments to paper or print, however fleeting.
Yhee previous government had members who did this, and it contributed to their downfall. Labour arrived on a promise of a bright new squeaky clean government, so comparing them to previous governments is no excuse.
Andrew Gwynne has proved how unsuitable he is to represent those for whom he has nothing but contempt. This was not a 'mishap', it was a true expression of his feelings and I am amazed anyone would consider him worthy of representing them, let alone find him amusing.

eazybee Sun 09-Feb-25 11:53:12

The

Wyllow3 Sun 09-Feb-25 12:06:02

I don't think anyone here has said he is worthy of representing us and I certainly don't know anyone locally in the Labour Party who would.

But I do agree that there are also a fair number of good MPs who do a good job and care about their Constituents.