'The black dog is safely in his kennel but I can't guarantee he won't come back'
Greater Manchester MP Andrew Gwynne is backing our 'People Care' campaign
Last updated 26th Feb 2019
Denton and Reddish MP Andrew Gwynne has been in the political spotlight for most of his life.
He was the youngest councillor in the country when he joined Tameside Borough Council in 1996, at the age of 212.
In 2005, he then became the youngest Labour MP in Parliament when he was elected to represent Denton and Reddish.
But he says his entire career has been spent battling a hidden, and potentially fatal, illness:
"I lost my mum when I was 19. Losing your mum as a teenager is very difficult. I wasn’t told she had cancer. I think at the back of her mind she was afraid I would give up my future if I had known.
"My dad dropped the bombshell on me literally at her deathbed. That clearly had an impact on my mental health as a teenager. The pressure on my job as well hasn’t helped.
"I was really unwell in late 2009 – it resulted in me having a pulmonary embolism at Euston station. I collapsed walking down the stairs of the taxi rank and felt every single one of those steps on the way down. I was told later that I had a clot that had travelled to my lungs and if it had reached my heart, I wouldn't be here.
"I thought 'Well, crumbs. Life really is very short and very fragile'. And that was really when it all got a bit too much."
Andrew has now spoken openly about his battle with depression. He is candid about the fact his in on anti-depressants and says he laughed during the 2017 election, when told Labour didn't stand a chance.
He smiled and said they could win, when quizzed on how he could be so cheery, he replied simply:
"It's the pills, not the polls."
Andrew is now backing our People Care campaign, sending a message of hope and support to anyone who is in crisis:
"You’ll have people who do care – family members, friends, organisations etc and a whole variety of support networks. So if you’ve got nobody close to then reach out to the Samaritans, or Mind or a local voluntary network.
"It is OK NOT to feel OK as well. It’s part of that stiff upper lip character of being very British but people will listen if you want to speak out.
"If your friends and relatives see someone who’s usually bubbly, just ask three words….are you OK? It’s OK not to be OK.
"However dark it feels, you’re not alone."
If you are struggling, visit:
Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us
Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/support-community-elefriend