MINISTER REPEATEDLY REFUSES TO SAY IF ANDREW GWYNNE SHOULD RESIGN AS AN MP

HOUSING Minister Matthew Pennycook has repeatedly refused to say if he thinks Andrew Gwynne should step down as an MP.

Asked if Gwynne should resign as an MP, he said on GB News: “The comments made by Andrew Gwynne are completely unacceptable, and I appreciate you giving credit to the Prime Minister for acting decisively, as he has.

“He’s been very clear since the time we entered office that this is going to be a government that upholds the highest standards of conduct in public life, or a government in service of working people. We’ve taken decisive action to dismiss Andrew Gwynne as a minister.

“As is the case, there’s a live investigation going on in terms of the Labour Party. Andrew has been administratively suspended. He’s lost the Labour whip. I don’t know what was said in those WhatsApp groups. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment.

“We have got a series of the quotes from the WhatsApp messages as part of that splash this morning. I don’t have the full transcripts that I’ve seen, but I think you viewers will accept that it would be inappropriate for me to speculate on what comes next when there is a live investigation taking place.”

Speaking during the Camilla Tominey Show, he said: “His membership of the party has been administratively suspended. He’s lost the Labour whip.

“The Prime Minister has acted very decisively to ensure that’s the case and that he was dismissed as a minister, because we’re very clear, those comments are completely unacceptable, but I’m not going to speculate on his future standing, whether he stands any of those other hypotheticals while that live investigation is taking place.”

Asked if he would resign if he was Andrew Gwynne, Pennycook said: “It’s a completely hypothetical [question]. I’m not Andrew Gwynne…I don’t think it is appropriate while there’s an ongoing live investigation to speculate on hypotheticals as what might happen to Andrew Gwynne.”

He added: “I don’t know who released the transcript of that WhatsApp [group]. I don’t know the circumstances in which this information has come to light. Again, I don’t think it would be appropriate not personally knowing the full details.

“For me to comment on hypotheticals, on speculation when there is this live investigation, I think your viewers draw comfort from the fact that both in terms of the Labour Party having that administrative suspension, the removal of the whip and Andrew Gwynne as a minister, that the government is determined to uphold the highest standards in public life and to act decisively across the board.

“It doesn’t matter who the minister is or who the Member of Parliament is.”