Angela Rayner was informed nearly three years ago that Andrew Gwynne, a sacked minister, had made an offensive joke about her in a WhatsApp group, according to the Guardian.
The Deputy Prime Minister was separately told about the inappropriate comment by two local councillors. Gwynne, the MP for Gorton and Denton in Greater Manchester, allegedly shared a vulgar post about Rayner, who was then Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
One source revealed that a Labour councillor, disturbed by the comment, showed Rayner the post. In response, Rayner reportedly said, “I’ll deal with it in my own time.”
While Rayner does not recall seeing the image, she acknowledges being informed about the personal comments made about her. There is no indication that she was aware of the specific racist or homophobic remarks before they were exposed by the Mail on Sunday last weekend.
A spokesperson for the Labour Party said: “As soon as this group was brought to our attention, a thorough investigation was immediately launched. This process is ongoing in line with the Labour Party’s rules and procedures. Swift action will always be taken when individuals breach the high standards expected of Labour members.”
The Guardian has learned that several senior Labour figures were informed about the offensive messages by at least three councillors as far back as 2022. Despite the multiple warnings, no formal complaint was made regarding the WhatsApp group, called “Trigger Me Timbers.” Instead, concerns were linked to broader frustrations about Gwynne’s involvement in local party matters.
Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, was reportedly told by Gerald Cooney, then leader of Tameside council, about Gwynne’s unflattering comments about Rayner, though no further details were provided at that time.
Despite the escalating concerns, questions have been raised about whether Labour could have taken action earlier.
Following the revelation of racist, sexist, and homophobic messages, Gwynne was sacked as a health minister and suspended from the Labour Party, alongside Burnley MP Oliver Ryan. Keir Starmer is believed to have dismissed Gwynne as soon as he became aware of the comments.
In addition, 11 local councillors, including Gwynne’s wife, Allison Gwynne, and his senior caseworker, Claire Reid, have been suspended. Reid, who set up the “Trigger Me Timbers” group in 2019, sits on Labour’s National Policy Forum.
The controversy began when Gwynne shared a tweet about Rayner’s claim for Apple AirPods expenses, which included a lewd comment. Rayner was informed about the post by a local councillor in Ashton-under-Lyne in 2022. The councillor expressed concern that Gwynne’s actions could harm Labour’s chances of gaining power, to which Rayner reportedly responded, “We will deal with this at the right time.”
A second councillor, outraged by the comments, later showed Rayner the offensive post. She again said, “I’ll deal with it in my own time.”
The Guardian revealed that senior Labour officials were informed about the posts well over a year ago. The first warning was sent to Liam Didsbury, then the party’s regional director for northwest England.
Gwynne’s texts, which were made public this week, revealed disturbing comments. In one message, he expressed hope that a 72-year-old non-Labour voter would die before the next election. He also made violent remarks about a local cycling campaigner, saying he “couldn’t be that lucky” if the person were hit by a lorry.
Gwynne also made offensive remarks about a constituent’s name, asking if they were in Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, and referred to someone as “an illiterate retard” and another as a “fat middle-aged useless thicket.”
In response, Gwynne issued an apology, 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 entirely understand the decisions the PM and the party have taken and, while very sad to have been suspended, will support them in any way I can.”
