‘I gave them some numbers’
Wragg, 36, who is openly gay, said: “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.”
Politico reported that the serving minister received a message on March 11 from “Charlie”, who claimed they had previously worked in parliament and they had had “flirty” chats together. The minister replied before going on to block the number.
Another former MP was contacted by someone under the same alias on the same evening, who sent them a message to say “Long time no speak! Miss you in Westminster” and then later: “I’m single again so making the most of the gays in Westminster.”
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“Charlie” went on to provide the surname and name of an MP they said they worked for, and the next day sent an explicit photo when the ex-MP blocked them immediately.
The Times reported that two MPs did respond to requests from “Charlie” for reciprocal explicit images with photographs of themselves.
MPs to be kept updated
Spear phishing is a term to describe a targeted cyberattack on one or more victims to get them to reveal confidential information.
Gauging the full extent of the spear phishing campaign has been made more complicated by the fact that the reports emerged during the Easter recess when MPs are not in Parliament.
All MPs and staff received a letter from Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, on Thursday evening, encouraging anyone who received “unsolicited messages” of this kind to come forward to the parliamentary security team.
Sir Lindsay said: “The parliamentary security department continues to work closely with partners in government to analyse and understand the nature of these messages and any related security risk. I should stress that it would be unwise to speculate on their origin at this stage.”
He added that the parliamentary authorities would keep MPs updated with any developments and pointed them to resources for cyber advice and security guidance. Politico reported that three men had already approached Parliament’s security team.
‘Volume of attacks so high’
A parliamentary spokesman said: “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.”
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Alicia Kearns, who chairs the foreign affairs select committee, said that “without question” MPs and their staff needed better training on cybersecurity. She added that she believed a foreign hostile state “or those working in their interests” could be responsible for the attacks.
She added: “The challenge for MPs and our staff is that the barrier for entry is so low, and the volume of attacks is so high – no matter how cyber aware or cautious you are, it is too easy to be tricked, and those waging these attacks are always ahead of us in creating new avenues to attack us.”
In November 2022, Wragg announced that he would not stand at the next general election.
The Telegraph, London
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