The Conservatives will not remove the whip from an MP involved in a “spear-phising” honeytrap sexting scandal.

William Wragg admitted on Thursday night that he handed over the phone numbers of MPs, aides and a journalist to a man he met on the Grindr gay dating app.

He told the Times he was effectively blackmailed into providing the details after sending intimate pictures of himself.

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Those colleagues were then sent unsolicited flirtatious messages from people identifying themselves as either “Charlie” or “Abi”.

The sender would explain that they had met years ago, usually in one of the parliamentary bars.

Soon into the conversation those targeted were sent an explicit picture and asked to respond in kind.

While many blocked Charlie or Abi, the Times reports that two MPs reciprocated.

According to Politico, one person targeted by the operation said the scammer told them that they previously worked for Mr Wragg. The website reports that on March 11 Mr Wragg then confirmed this was the case.

He only backtracked on Wednesday, as details of the scandal first started emerging in the press. 

Gareth Davies, exchequer secretary to the Treasury, told Sky News: “It’s an incredibly troubling situation. It’s very serious. Will Wragg has rightly apologised for the action that he took.

“But I think it’s clear to anybody hearing about the situation that he was in, [that] people react in different ways.

“I would say to anyone watching this that if you ever feel like you’re in a compromised position, if you ever feel like you’re being blackmailed, then you should go to the police immediately because it’s an incredibly serious matter.

“There’s a police investigation that has already been launched. The Speaker has announced that the parliamentary security department is also going to be investigating this. It’s right that investigation takes place.”

Spear-phishing is where a particular individual is targeted by email or message. Normally those behind the scam have researched their victim and tailored their approach accordingly.

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Mr Wragg - who has already announced that he will stand down from Parliament at the next election - told the Times: “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.”

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, has written to all MPs and staff to tell them that the parliamentary security department is investigating.

A parliamentary spokesman said: “Parliament takes security extremely seriously and works closely with government in response to such incidents. 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.”