Andy Burnham ‘knows some people involved’ in Trigger Me Timbers scandal – but slams comments as ‘unacceptable’

Andy Burnham ‘knows some people involved’ in the toxic ‘Trigger Me Timbers’ WhatsApp group where ‘inappropriate comments’ were reportedly made by Andrew Gwynne.

He allegedly made anti-Semitic slights and joked about a pensioner dying before an election after she raised concerns about bin collections. The Gorton and Denton MP has been sacked as a junior minister and suspended from the Labour Party, pending an investigation, as has Burnley MP Oliver Ryan, and 11 Labour councillors in Tameside and Stockport.

Anger has been directed at Mr Gwynne and three Denton South councillors, with a sign put on the MP’s constituency office door on Tuesday (February 12), calling on them to resign. The message read: “OUT OUT OUT. Andrew Gwynne and team Denton South, resign now. We the public will not forgive or forget your actions. Do the right thing, resign with dignity. OUT OUT OUT.”

In a statement shared on X after the initial story about the WhatsApp group broke, Mr Gwynne said: “I deeply regret my badly misjudged comments and apologise for any offense I’ve caused.”

Now, the Greater Manchester mayor has slammed the alleged comments in the WhatsApp chat as ‘not acceptable’ and ‘inappropriate’, but revealed he ‘knows some people involved’.

“It’s not acceptable,” the mayor told BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday. “The right action has been taken. 

“There’s a live investigation. It has to do its work. The steps that follow from that will be taken.

“I am not going to pre-empt the inquiry. I do not know the full circumstances of this group. I do not know what was said. It’s not acceptable. The wider investigation needs to be done.”

When asked if the comments made in the group reflected an attitude that politicians do not care about their residents, Mr Burnham replied: “I know some of the people involved in this. I have worked with them for a number of years.

“They have worked hard in Tameside over many years. That’s not the same as me defending them. I do not think it’s the case people disregarded the community.

“There’s comments made… I am not saying anything other than it’s unacceptable. It should not have been done. Statements were made that were inappropriate.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “As part of our WhatsApp group investigation, a group of councillors have been administratively suspended from the Labour Party. As soon as this group was brought to our attention, a thorough investigation was launched in line with the Labour Party’s rules and procedures and this process is ongoing. Swift action will always be taken where individuals are found to have breached the high standards expected of them as Labour Party members.”