Sunday shows round-up: Andrew Gwynne’s messages condemned

Health Minister Andrew Gwynne has been sacked after he was found to have sent offensive messages in a Whatsapp group with other Labour figures. Gwynne had joked about hoping a constituent would soon be dead, and made sexist and racist comments about Angela Rayner and Diane Abbott.

On Sky News, housing minister Matthew Pennycook denounced Gwynne’s comments, and told Trevor Phillips that Keir Starmer had ‘acted decisively’ to ‘uphold the highest standards of public office’. Phillips asked if other Labour politicians in the same Whatsapp group would be suspended. Pennycook said an investigation was taking place, and that if any other Labour MP was found to have fallen short of Labour’s standards, they would be suspended as well. 

Angela Rayner denies being defensive or aggressive in Grenfell meeting

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner confirmed this week that Grenfell Tower will be demolished. The tower block will be deconstructed gradually over a two-year period starting later this year after the eighth anniversary of the 2017 fire which caused the deaths of 72 people.