What the history of ‘honeytraps’ tells us about MPs’ security

As a Tory MP admits sharing information about his colleagues with someone he met through a dating app, Sean O’Grady asks how common such incidents are and what can be done to protect politicians from blackmail

MP William Wragg has been praised for his openness after he was targeted online (UK Parliament)

The Conservative MP William Wragg has said that he surrendered the personal telephone numbers of fellow MPs to someone he met on a dating app because he was “scared” that the man had “compromising things on me”. Wragg has apologised for betraying their confidence, and he’s been widely praised for his openness as a victim of a nasty crime.

At least 12 men in political circles have received unsolicited WhatsApp messages: some were sent explicit images, and two MPs were apparently sent images of themselves. The recipients are reported to include a government minister, political advisers, and journalists at Westminster. The incident has heightened concerns about cybersecurity – particularly the phenomenon of “spear phishing”, which can lure people into situations in which they are vulnerable to blackmail...

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