Young Labour MP is unmasked as second Westminster member in vile WhatsApp group through which racist, sexist and anti-Semitic messages have been exchanged

A Young Labour MP can be revealed as the second Westminster member of a WhatsApp group in which racist, sexist and anti-Semitic messages were exchanged.

The vile posts led to the dramatic sacking of health minister Andrew Gwynne after The Mail on Sunday brought them to the attention of Downing Street on Saturday.

Now it can be revealed that Oliver Ryan, the 29-year-old MP for Burnley, was another leading member of the group, where he has posted more than 2,000 messages.

The Daily Mail has also learned that Greater Manchester Police are now assessing a number of complaints made about the WhatsApp group’s offensive content.

In the private chat, called Trigger Me Timbers, Mr Ryan takes part with others in apparently homophobic banter as they joke about a fellow Labour MP being gay. 

In a series of posts, Mr Ryan also makes cruel remarks about a local Labour leader and life-long lollipop man in Greater Manchester called Colin Bailey.

There were calls last night for Mr Ryan to have the whip removed, with the Tories saying Sir Keir Starmer must take swift action.

Former party chairman Richard Holden said: ‘With such hateful remarks being spewed, getting to the bottom of this situation should be Sir Keir Starmer’s top priority.

‘Sir Keir should not hide behind the process to delay action, especially with concerns that there were more MPs, councillors and Labour members involved.’ 

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said: ‘That was a big WhatsApp group with a lot of other Labour members on.

‘Did any of them step in at the time? Did any of them call that out? If the Prime Minister doesn’t take action against everyone in that group, very quickly, we know that there is still a problem in the Labour Party.’

Last night Mr Ryan was forced to issue an apology, saying he regrets his comments. He said: ‘Between 2019 and early 2022, I was a member of a WhatsApp group created by my MP and former employer, Andrew Gwynne.

‘Some of the comments made in that group were completely unacceptable, and I fully condemn them. I regret not speaking out at the time, and I recognise that failing to do so was wrong.

‘I did not see every message, but I accept responsibility for not being more proactive in challenging what was said.

‘I also made some comments myself which I deeply regret and would not make today and for that I wholeheartedly apologise.

‘I will co-operate fully with the Labour Party’s investigation.’

Mr Ryan is one of the youngest MPs and was a Labour councillor for nine years before being elected to Parliament last year. 

He is a long-time friend of Mr Gwynne, who posted messages which involved him mocking a pensioner who did not vote Labour and wishing her dead before the next council election.

The pensioner from Stockport had written to her Labour councillor saying she had not voted for him, but nevertheless asked for his help about bin collections.

The councillor, David Sedgwick, posted the letter on the group, to which Mr Gwynne posted a mock reply on Mr Sedgwick’s behalf. He said: ‘Dear resident, F*** your bins. I’m re-elected and without your vote.

‘Screw you, Dave. Ps Hopefully you’ll have croaked it by the all-outs [council elections].’

Mr Gwynne was sacked immediately as a minister and also suspended from the Labour Party pending an investigation.

A No 10 spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister is determined to uphold high standards of conduct in public office. He will not hesitate to take action against any minister who fails to meet these standards, as he has in this case.’

Meanwhile Mr Ryan, who is himself gay, makes inappropriate comments about a Labour MP, whom we have chosen not to name. In February 2019, one member describes the MP as ‘a thick posh lazy oaf. Factually correct but lacks pizzazz’.

Mr Ryan replies: ‘The straight choice,’ appearing to suggest he is gay. Then Cllr Sedgwick adds: ‘#sodomitefor****’, mentioning the MP’s constituency. 

Mr Ryan says: ‘A movement we can all get behind… again and again,’ appearing to reference gay sex. Mr Ryan asks Mr Gwynne: ‘Have you caught ***?’ using the MP’s nickname. Mr Gwynne replies: ‘Is it an STI [sexually transmitted infection]?’

Mr Ryan is openly gay, but the Labour MP being mocked in the group has never discussed his sexuality publicly and is not known to be gay.

Mr Ryan also mocked a senior Labour leader, 61-year-old Mr Bailey, who is vice-chairman of the party’s Audenshaw branch. Mr Bailey, a life-long lollipop man who has been a member of the Labour Party for 42 years, was mocked as ‘Colin C*mface’ by Mr Ryan and Mr Gwynne.

In February 2019, when the group was discussing a recent Labour victory, Mr Sedgwick asked the group: ‘How did Colin C*mface take it?’

Moments later, Mr Ryan refers to him as: ‘Deaf Colin C*mface.’

When informed about the nasty name-calling, Mr Bailey said last night: ‘I am very angry about this. I thought Oliver was a friend, as I did some work for him. That’s the thing, you help these people, and they stab you in the back.’ He added: ‘My daughter has reported this to the police today.’

Trigger Me Timbers was set up in 2019, and consists of at least two MPs, over a dozen Labour councillors, as well as senior party officials in the Greater Manchester area.

The Mail on Sunday and Daily Mail have reviewed thousands of messages from the group, and found a barrage of abusive texts. Yesterday, it was revealed Mr Gwynne made racist jokes about veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott.

Mr Gwynne also made offensive remarks about Jewish people and Angela Rayner was also mocked by the group.

A Government source said: ‘Oliver Ryan’s remarks were unacceptable and deeply disappointing.

‘While a Labour Party investigation is already under way, the Chief Whip will also be speaking to him and no action is off the table.’