William Wragg: Tory MP at centre of Westminster sexting scandal quits parliamentary party

William Wragg has decided to surrender the Conservative whip voluntarily, which entails him sitting in the Commons as an independent MP. This course of action was taken after he utilized a honeytrap sexting ploy to reveal personal information about fellow politicians.

On Monday, Mr. Wragg, who represents the constituency of Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester, stepped down from his duties as vice-chair of the 1922 committee of Conservative Party backbenchers and his position as leader of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee in the House of Commons.

On Tuesday, a representative for the Tory whips announced that Will Wragg has decided to withdraw from his positions on the Public Accounts and 1922 committees. They also stated that he has informed the chief whip that he has chosen to give up the Conservative whip entirely.

Mr. Wragg's decision signifies that he is no longer affiliating with the Conservative parliamentary group and will now be sitting independently as an MP in the chamber instead of being classified as a Tory MP.

He chose to relinquish the party whip of his own accord following his admission to The Times that he had shared his colleagues' phone numbers with a person he matched with on a dating application. He apologised for this last week.

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The police department Scotland Yard is looking into claims of fraudulent activity known as the "honeytrap" scheme. It has been alleged that a minimum of 12 men entrenched in politics have been receiving unwanted messages, which is causing issues regarding their safety.

Mr Wragg, who has previously disclosed that he won't seek reelection, informed the newspaper, "They possessed some compromising information about me and persisted in harassing me."

When asked, I provided them with a few contact numbers, but not all of them. However, I ultimately requested that they no longer request any more from me. Regrettably, this individual was able to manipulate me, resulting in unintentional harm caused to others.

I had a conversation with a man on an application, and we shared some visuals. Our plan was to catch up for some beverages, but unfortunately, that didn't occur.

Afterward, he inquired about the number of people. I felt uneasy since he possessed incriminating evidence against me. He shared a WhatsApp contact that is currently non-functional. Regrettably, my feebleness has caused harm to others.

I was frightened. I feel ashamed. I deeply regret that my vulnerability has resulted in harm for others.

Although a few MPs have commended Mr. Wragg for apologizing, others were not understanding and demanded that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revoke the whip.

A high-ranking member of the Conservative party confided to Sky News that Mr. Wragg opted to dismiss himself because he had lost trust in Rishi, whom he perceives as indecisive.

Pat McFadden, the national campaign coordinator for Labour, concurred and expressed his opinion that Rishi Sunak's lack of strength was further confirmed by the fact that William Wragg was the one who had to resign.

Once more, his Members of Parliament were tasked with guarding a viewpoint that has crumbled.

Rishi Sunak consistently prioritizes party management above all else, but he fails to do so effectively. This approach is not suitable for governing a country.

In an interview with Sky News' Politics Hub, Richard Holden, the Conservative Party chair, expressed his approval of Mr. Wragg's decision to voluntarily relinquish his position in the party.

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According to Mr. Holden, he has apologized deeply, stepped down from his position in the 1922 committee executive, and also surrendered his affiliation with the Conservative party.

I believe that it was already evident that he wouldn't run in the upcoming election as he has already declared his retirement. Therefore, I agree that it was the appropriate course of action.

When asked if Mr. Wragg's choice to relinquish the whip indicated that the Prime Minister lacked the strength to do so himself, Mr. Holden responded with his opinion: "The situation is quite apparent."

"I think William Wragg has come to a conclusion and I believe it's the correct choice."

He indicated towards the current police inquiry and expressed, "I believe it is crucial that we let the investigations carry on."