William Wragg, who shared other politicians’ personal numbers as part of a honeytrap sexting scam, has “voluntarily” given up the Conservative whip – meaning he will now sit as an independent MP in the Commons.
Mr Wragg, the MP for Hazel Grove, Greater Manchester, yesterday resigned as vice-chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers and also stepped down from his role heading the Commons’ Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.
A spokesperson for the Tory whips said today: “Following Will Wragg’s decision to step back from his roles on the Public Accounts and 1922 committees, he has also notified the chief whip that he is voluntarily relinquishing the Conservative whip.”
The move means that Mr Wragg is no longer a member of the Conservative parliamentary party and will sit as an independent MP, rather than Tory MP, MP in parliament.
His decision to voluntarily give up the party whip came after he apologised last week after admitting to the Times that he had given his colleagues’ phone numbers to someone he met on a dating app.
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Scotland Yard has said it is investigating reports of the so-called “honeytrap” scam after it was suggested at least 12 men in political circles received unsolicited messages, raising security concerns.
Mr Wragg, who has already announced he is standing down at the next election, told the newspaper: “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.”
While some MPs have praised Mr Wragg for his apology, others have been less sympathetic and called on Rishi Sunak to remove the whip.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt praised Mr Wragg for his “courageous and fulsome apology” while Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that his colleague “behaved in a foolish way, and by his own admission he did so, and has apologised for it”.
However Labour London mayor Sadiq Khan told Politico Mr Wragg should quit if the prime minister doesn’t sack him first.
He told the news website: “I think it’s now at a stage where, as a legislator, he should resign. I think there’s also a question about Rishi Sunak’s judgement.”
Following Mr Wragg’s decision, a senior Tory told Sky News: “Rishi is so weak Wragg decided he’d have to fire himself instead.”
Speaking to the Politics Hub on Sky News Conservative Party chair Richard Holden said Mr Wragg had done “the right thing” by giving up the whip of his own accord.
“He’s already issued a fulsome apology, he’s resigned from the 1922 committee executive… and he’s also given up the Conservative whip,” Mr Holden told host Adam Parsons.
“I think we already knew he wouldn’t be standing at the next election, he’s already announced he’s standing down, so yes I think that was the right thing to have done.”
Asked whether Mr Wragg’s decision to give up the whip suggested the prime minister was too “weak” to do it himself, Mr Holden said: “I think it’s pretty clear what’s happened here.
“William Wragg has made his decision and I think that’s the right thing.”
He pointed to the ongoing police investigation and said: “I think it’s important that we allow those investigations to continue.”
