A second Labour MP has apologised for comments made in a WhatsApp chat, after Andrew Gwynne was sacked as a minister over messages he sent to the same group.
Burnley MP Oliver Ryan said in a statement that comments he made in the group “were completely unacceptable” and he regretted “not speaking out at the time”.
Fellow MP Gwynne was sacked as health minister on Saturday after the Mail on Sunday reported he sent a string of offensive and abusive messages in the WhatsApp group, which contained other Labour figures.
A government source told the PA news agency that the party’s chief whip would speak to Ryan “and no action is off the table”.
“I did not see every message, but I accept responsibility for not being more proactive in challenging what was said,” Ryan added.
