Ashley Dalton appointed health minister after Gwynne sacking
Mr Gwynne left the Government over the weekend and apologised for comments made in a WhatsApp group.
Ashley Dalton, Labour MP for West Lancashire, has been appointed as a minister in the Department of Health and Social Care after Andrew Gwynne was sacked over the weekend following the emergence of offensive comments in a WhatsApp group.
Mr Gwynne left the Government over the weekend and apologised for comments made in the group “which I deeply regret and would not make today”.
Ms Dalton has been appointed in the health brief, while Douglas Alexander will now serve jointly in the Cabinet Office as well as the Department for Business and Trade, Downing Street confirmed on Monday.
Lord Moraes and Lord Wilson have been appointed Government whips, the statement added.
Mr Gwynne reportedly said that he hoped a 72-year-old woman would soon die after she asked a councillor about bin collections, and joked about a constituent being “mown down” by a truck.
He posted on X on Saturday apologising for any offence caused, but did not suggest he would stand down as an MP.
“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,” he wrote.
The Prime Minister dismissed Mr Gwynne as a minister as soon as he became aware of the comments, it is understood.
Burnley MP Oliver Ryan is also under investigation over “unacceptable and deeply disappointing” comments in the same WhatsApp group.
It is understood that the Chief Whip is due to speak with Mr Ryan and “no action is off the table”.
Mr Ryan became an MP in July and was previously a Tameside councillor.
“Between 2019 and early 2022, I was a member of a WhatsApp group created by my MP and former employer, Andrew Gwynne,” Mr Ryan said in a statement posted on X.
“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.”
