Burnley MP Oliver Ryan 'should quit' say political rivals

Burnley’s Labour MP Oliver Ryan – being investigated by the Labour Party over his “unacceptable and deeply disappointing” comments in a WhatsApp group – should quit Parliament say his local political rivals.

The backbencher elected in July has confirmed he was a member of the WhatsApp chat over which Gorton and Denton MP Andrew Gwynne was sacked over as a health minister and suspended from the party at the weekend.

Following a meeting with Labour’s Chief Whip Sir Alan Campbell yesterday, Mr Ryan, a former Tameside councillor, was suspended.

Now the constituency’s former Liberal Democrat MP Coun. Gordon Birtwistle and the Chairman of Burnley Conservative Association Coun. Jamie McGowan say Mr Ryan should resign.

And he has even come under fire from Burnley Council’s Labour group leader Coun. Mark Townsend who said he was “really disappointed” at the “unacceptable”, comments.

Mr Ryan, who is gay, appeared to mock a fellow Labour MP over his sexuality in exchanges in the WhatsApp group called Trigger Me Timbers, the Daily Mail reported. Mr Ryan is also said to have used an offensive nickname to refer to Tameside Council Labour leader Colin Bailey.

Coun. Birtwistle, the Burnley LibDem candidate in last year’s general election, said: “Mr Ryan is now totally discredited. To put statements like that on WhatsApp is totally outrageous.

“I think his position now as Burnley’s MP is untenable. I think he should resign and cause a by-election.”

Coun. McGowan, deputy leader of the Conservative group on Burnley council, said: “Mr Ryan obviously has got a lot of questions to answer. We have still to see the full WhatsApp messages.

“The bits we have seen don’t look good at all. I think he needs to consider his position and decide whether he can continue as MP for Burnley.”

Coun. Townsend said: “The reported comments in this WhatsApp group are unacceptable and I’m really disappointed that the Burnley MP has been associated with it. A Labour Party investigation is ongoing and until due process is complete it would not be appropriate to comment further.”

Mr Ryan said in a statement posted on X: “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.”

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.”

It comes after Mr Gwynne apologised over “badly misjudged” comments that he regretted. They included hoping that 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. Mr Gwynne posted on X on Saturday apologising for any offence caused but did not suggest he would stand down as an MP.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer dismissed him as a minister as soon as he became aware of the comments, it is understood.