Veteran councillor Vincent Ricci has resigned from the Labour party after nearly five decades, following his whistleblowing about offensive messages in a WhatsApp group involving prominent Labour figures in the North-West. Ricci, who reported racist, sexist, and homophobic jokes to senior party officials and left the group in 2022, was suspended by Labour but later cleared of any wrongdoing. Despite his exoneration, Ricci received a written warning for speaking to the media and claims the party failed to clarify his innocence, leaving him feeling unfairly implicated. The scandal led to the dismissal of health minister Andrew Gwynne and the suspension of several Labour members, with Ricci now serving as an independent councillor after enduring public abuse during the investigation.