Former Labour minister Andrew Gwynne has resigned as MP for Gorton and Denton, triggering a by-election that could see Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham return to Westminster. Gwynne, who had the Labour whip removed over offensive WhatsApp messages, announced his departure on Thursday, citing health reasons.
Gwynne, who had been on sick leave, confirmed he would step down after reports suggested he was prepared to do so. In a Facebook post, he said he had “suffered significant ill-health over most of the 21 years I've served as an MP”, exacerbated by the fallout from leaked text messages. He included a note from his GP stating he would not be able to safely return to work as an MP.
Burnham, long tipped as a potential leadership challenger to Sir Keir Starmer, has been widely speculated to stand in the upcoming by-election. Asked about the prospect, he said he was “in the dark” and had had no contact with Gwynne or his associates. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described Burnham as someone he is “proud to work with”.
The resignation comes as Labour faces a difficult electoral landscape, with local elections in May expected to be challenging. In an interview, Sir Keir Starmer warned MPs against discussing leadership challenges, stating that “every minute we waste talking about anything other than the cost of living and stability in Europe and across the globe is a wasted minute.”
Gwynne was sacked as a health minister and suspended from Labour in February last year for comments made in a WhatsApp group, including sexist remarks about Angela Rayner and racist remarks about Diane Abbott. He apologised at the time, calling the comments “badly misjudged”.
