A senior Tory has told the Times he gave the personal numbers of fellow MPs to someone he met on a dating app.
William Wragg told the paper he shared the contacts, adding he was “scared” the individual had “compromising things on me”.
He apologised and said he had “hurt people by being weak”.
It comes amid reports that at least 12 men in Westminster have received unsolicited texts and naked pictures.
One ex-MP has told the BBC he was targeted as part of the suspected honeytrap attempt.
A Leicestershire Police spokesperson said they were investigating one of the cases, which was reported last month.
The BBC has attempted to contact Mr Wragg for comment.
‘I was scared’
Speaking to the Times, the vice-chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs said he had sent intimate pictures of himself to a man he met on gay dating app Grindr.
“They had compromising things on me. They wouldn’t leave me alone.
“They would ask for people. I gave them some numbers, not all of them. I told him to stop. He’s manipulated me and now I’ve hurt other people.
“I got chatting to a guy on an app and we exchanged pictures. We were meant to meet up for drinks, but then didn’t. Then he started asking for numbers of people. I was worried because he had stuff on me. He gave me a WhatsApp number, which doesn’t work now.
“I’ve hurt people by being weak. I was scared. I’m mortified. I’m so sorry that my weakness has caused other people hurt.”
Mr Wragg became an MP for the Greater Manchester constituency of Hazel Grove in 2015.
In 2022, he announced he would not be running in the next election.
‘Familiarity’
On Thursday one former MP told the BBC of his shock at being targeted with flirtatious messages and an explicit image in an apparently coordinated scam.
The ex-politician blocked the WhatsApp number from someone calling themselves “Charlie”.
But it was only after he read a story on the news website Politico that he realised he had been the subject of an attempted honeytrap.
“My heart did start racing because I thought everything you’re saying from the start, from the name of the individual, the familiarity, this is too close to be just a coincidence,” the former MP told the BBC.
Twelve men have contacted Politico to say they had received near-identical messages to the one received by the ex-MP or similar messages from another number. Several of the 12 were sent naked pictures in an attempt to entrap them.
The former MP, who is gay, told the BBC he was first contacted via WhatsApp on the evening of 11 March.
The message was from a number he did not recognise from someone calling themselves Charlie who claimed to remember them from their time working in Parliament.
“The last part of that message was ‘Westminster misses you…’ and that was basically something that friends usually do say anyway to make me feel better,” he told BBC News.
“I was starting to feel bad actually. I was embarrassed thinking I’m speaking to someone who knows who I am and I’m trying desperately not to come across as rude.”
The next message said: “I’ve just become single so I’m hanging out with the Westminster gays.”
The former MP explained he was in a relationship but further flirtatious messages followed.
After “Charlie” sent an explicit image, the former MP blocked him.
‘Worrying’
BBC News has seen messages sent from the same number also from someone calling themselves “Charlie” to a political journalist.
These messages also talk about the recipient being “missed” around Westminster and asking whether the journalist is still single or not.
The ex-MP told the BBC of his concern on learning that others had been targeted.
“The fact that somebody tried to and that their intent behind it was probably to do harm is really worrying,” he said.
“I was oblivious to it.”
He hopes to raise awareness about what happened so others come forward.
Speaking after Mr Wragg’s interview with The Times, he said the MP’s involvement had come as a shock, adding “my first reaction is that I feel awful for him”.
“He’s a friend, my heart goes out to him and I certainly don’t hold any ill-will towards him. I want him to know that.”
‘Part of modern political life’
Fellow Conservative MP Bob Seely said he had “great sympathy” for Mr Wragg.
He told BBC Newsnight that the incident is “not the first”, adding: “I’m afraid this is part of a modern political life, whether it’s honeytraps, cyber-attacks or phishing of some kind or other.”
A Parliamentary spokesperson said: “Parliament takes security extremely seriously and works closely with government in response to such incidents.
“We provide members and staff with tailored advice, making them aware of security risks and how to manage their digital safety. We are encouraging anyone affected who has concerns to contact the Parliamentary Security Department.”
Source: BBC
