Claims Labour ‘rigged’ election amid WhatsApp group scandal rubbished

Claims on social media Labour ‘rigged’ an election after messages alleged to have come from the same WhatsApp group at the centre of a party scandal were posted have been rubbished. 

A Conservative Tameside councillor posted messages alleged to have come from the Trigger Me Timbers group on X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook. 

The post suggested members appeared to discuss then council leader Brenda Warrington instructing someone – whose name is redacted – to ‘find some votes’.

Gorton and Denton MP Andrew Gwynne, according to Liam Billington’s post, replied: “And she did.” Councillor George Newton, according to the post, then said: “83 of them.”

Coun Billington claimed the conversation related to the closely-fought Audenshaw ward election in 2021, at which Labour’s Teresa Smith was elected by a margin of just 82 votes.

The post claims Mr Gwynne continued: “And Leigh Drennan.” Mr Drennan stood in Ashton Hurst that year and came second to the Tories. The X post claims Coun Newton then replied: “She took them from him. Fair.”

A source close to the WhatsApp group claimed the discussion was a ‘joke’ and that the messages were ‘throwaway comments’, rubbishing Coun Billington’s claims the Audenshaw election had been ‘rigged’. 

The WhatsApp group has made national headlines. Mr Gwynne was sacked as a junior health minister after he reportedly made anti-Semitic slights and joked about a pensioner dying before an election after she raised concerns about bin collections.

He has been suspended from the Labour party, as have nine councillors in Tameside – Claire Reid, Jack Naylor, George Newton, Vincent Ricci, Charlotte Martin, Allison Gwynne, George Jones, Brenda Warrington and Denise Ward – and two in Stockport – David Sedgwick and Holly McCormack.

Burnley MP Oliver Ryan – a former Tameside councillor who was a member of the group – has also been suspended.

On Tuesday, a sign was put on Mr Gwynne’s constituency office door, calling on him and three Denton South councillors 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.”

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.”

Mr Gwynne and each of the 11 councillors have been asked for comment on their involvement on the WhatsApp group. Mr Gwynne and Coun Newton declined. The rest have not replied.

Mr Gwynne, Coun Newton, Coun Warrington, and the Labour Party were contacted about Coun Billington’s claims the Audenshaw election was ‘rigged’. Mr Gwynne, Coun Newton, and the Labour Party declined. Coun Warrington has not replied.

Greater Manchester Police said it had not received a report in relation to the Audenshaw claims. 

Tameside council said in a comment: “The integrity of elections is always held with the utmost seriousness. There are rigorous and clear legal steps in place to deal with any concerns and complaints raised. The Council would always want to see electoral integrity upheld.”

The town hall is not understood to be dealing with a complaint.