William Wragg: Tory gave MPs' numbers to dating app contact, report says

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Written by Phil Kemp, Hannah Miller, and Kate Whannel

According to an article in the Times, a high-ranking member of the Conservative Party confessed to sharing the private phone numbers of his colleagues with a person he connected with via a dating application.

William Wragg revealed to the newspaper that he gave away his contacts, stating that he was "frightened" of the person having "evidence that could cause harm to me".

He expressed remorse and stated that his lack of strength had caused harm to others.

The situation arises as there are reports indicating that a minimum of 12 males in the Westminster area have been sent unwanted text messages and explicit images without their consent.

The BBC was informed by a former Member of Parliament that he was a victim of a potential honeytrap scheme.

A representative from the police department in Leicestershire stated that they are currently investigating one of the reported incidents from last month.

The BBC made an effort to get in touch with Mr. Wragg to provide his viewpoint.

In an interview with The Times, the vice chairperson of the 1922 committee, which represents independent Conservative MPs in Parliament, admitted to sending personal photos to a man he connected with on the homosexual dating application, Grindr.

I was being harassed by them because they had information that could potentially harm my reputation. They wouldn't stop bothering me about it and it made me extremely uncomfortable.

"They requested to have contact information for individuals, and I shared a selection of phone numbers with them, but not all. However, I eventually expressed my concern and requested that they discontinue their inquiries. Unfortunately, they were able to persuade me, and as a result, unintentionally caused harm to others."

I had a conversation with a gentleman on a mobile application, and we shared images of ourselves. We organized to meet for beverages, but it didn't manifest. Subsequently, he began to inquire about obtaining phone numbers of other individuals. I felt uneasy because he had information about me. He provided me a WhatsApp number, but it's no longer in use.

I have caused pain to others due to my lack of strength. Fear had me in its grip, and I am filled with shame. It deeply distresses me that my inability to be strong has had a negative impact on others.

In 2015, Mr Wragg was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Hazel Grove constituency in Greater Manchester.

He revealed that he won't participate in the forthcoming election in 2022.

Last Thursday, an ex-MP disclosed to the BBC that he was left stunned after receiving seductive messages and a graphic image as part of what seemed to be a systematic deceitful ploy.

The former politician prevented the WhatsApp contact of an individual who identified themselves as "Charlie" from connecting with them.

After reading an article on Politico's website, he finally became aware that someone had tried to set him up in a honeytrap scheme.

The ex-MP told the BBC that their heart began to race when they realized that everything being said, from the name of the person mentioned to how familiar it all felt, seemed too closely connected to be purely coincidental.

Politico has been contacted by twelve individuals who reported receiving messages nearly identical to the one that the former Member of Parliament received or similar messages through a different number. Some of the twelve correspondents received explicit images in an effort to ensnare them.

The ex-politician, who is homosexual, informed the BBC that he was initially reached out to through the messaging app WhatsApp on the night of March 11th.

A communication arrived from a phone digit that wasn't familiar to him. The sender introduced themselves as Charlie and mentioned recognizing him from their tenure at Parliament.

During an interview with BBC News, he stated that the final portion of the message was "Westminster misses you..." and it was essentially a common sentiment that friends express to provide comfort.

I began to feel remorseful, to be honest. I felt ashamed because I was conversing with somebody who recognizes me, and I was making every effort not to appear discourteous.

The subsequent text read: "I recently ended my relationship and am spending time with the gay community in Westminster."

The ex-Member of Parliament clarified that he was dating someone but additional messages with romantic intentions continued to come in.

Following the transmission of a lewd picture by "Charlie," the ex-MP decided to prevent any further communication by blocking him.

BBC News came across messages sent by an individual who goes by the name "Charlie" to a political journalist from the identical phone number.

These messages also mention that the receiver is being thought of fondly in Westminster and inquire about the romantic relationship status of the journalist.

The former Member of Parliament expressed his worry to the BBC after finding out that other people had also been attacked.

He expressed concern about the attempt made by an individual with a probable intention to inflict harm.

His aim is to increase understanding of the incident, encouraging more individuals to step forward.

After Mr. Wragg's interview with The Times, he talked about the MP's unexpected involvement. He mentioned feeling terrible for him as his initial reaction.

He is a buddy of mine, and I sympathize with him. I have no negative feelings towards him, and I want to ensure that he is aware of this.

A representative from the Parliament emphasized that they give much importance to security matters and that they are in close coordination with the government in addressing any related incidents.

At our organization, we offer personalized guidance to both team members and members in regards to safeguarding their digital security. We ensure that everyone is well-informed about potential security hazards and equipped with the necessary tools to manage them. If you are worried about any security issues, we strongly advise you to reach out to the Parliamentary Security Department for assistance.