Will Wragg quits Tory whip after figures leaked – POLITICO

But in another development on Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for the Conservative Whip's office said: “Following Will Wragg's decision to step down from his roles on the Public Accounts and 1922 Committees, he has also informed the Chief Whip that he is resigning voluntarily.” the conservative whip.”

Wragg admitted last week that he was targeted by a scammer on the dating app Grindr and leaked the personal phone numbers of several lawmakers who were later also implicated in the phishing scandal. “I was afraid. I'm ashamed. I'm so sorry that my weakness hurt other people,” he told the Times at the time.

Outcry

POLITICO first revealed last week that MPs, staff and journalists in Westminster were targeted with seductive WhatsApp messages from two unknown phone numbers, which in several cases resulted in the sender sending offensive images.

Wragg's admission that he had shared some of his colleagues' phone numbers with the Honey Catcher sparked strong criticism from his Tories colleagues, with former Foreign Secretary Nadine Dorries and Conservative MPs Andrea Jenkyns and Jacob Rees-Mogg all sharply criticizing.

Others responded with sympathy, including Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who praised Wragg's decision to come forward and apologize. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government had refused to withdraw the whip from Wragg.

So far, POLITICO has directly verified that at least 21 people in British politics have received unsolicited WhatsApp messages from one or both of two phone numbers that alternately used the names “Charlie” or “Abi.” Those targeted include Labor and Tory MPs, including a sitting British government minister.

At least two police forces are investigating the scandal, in London and Leicestershire.