The circle of those caught up in the Westminster honeytrap scandal continues to expand, with at least 15 figures now believed to be involved. These people were sent messages from an unknown sender identifying themselves either as ‘Abi’ or ‘Charlie’. Three Tory MPs – Will Wragg, Andrea Jenkyns and Luke Evans – have previously said that they were targeted in a ‘spear-phishing’ attack.

This afternoon BBC correspondent Henry Zeffman has revealed that he too was targeted, with Politico and the Express reporting that attendees at last year’s Liberal Democrat conference now fear the same. One of those believed to have been targeted told The Spectator that the account in question messaged him on Grindr and claimed to work for a Tory MP in parliament.

Both the Lincolnshire and Metropolitan police forces have launched investigations into these allegations. There is considerable debate in parliament as to whether a hostile state actor was involved in the targeting of MPs. But the operation appears to have clearly been more widespread than first thought, given attendees at both the Liberal Democrat and Labour party conferences in Bournemouth and Liverpool report being targeted too. A former special adviser has also told the Guardian that they received their first message by a WhatsApp user calling themselves ‘Abigail’ or ‘Abi’ in January 2023, suggesting the phishing operation has been under way for at least 14 months.

Downing Street has publicly urged MPs to be cautious when responding to unsolicited messages. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said this afternoon that ‘Anybody who has been targeted illegally should approach relevant authorities. It’s clearly important for anyone in public life to be sceptical of unsolicited communications.’ Yet while No. 10 are refusing to comment on claims of foreign interference, senior government officials are playing down such claims. The Sun believes that the current reports are more a matter for the police than one for the security services.

The nature of this scandal and the fact that it involves the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats mean it is unlikely to become a party-political issue. The Opposition have noticeably been reluctant to criticise Wragg for dispensing phone numbers, conscious, perhaps, that Labour figures are among those targeted. But while some Tories have been publicly supportive of Wragg – with Jeremy Hunt calling his statement ‘courageous’ – others are privately less so. Many are on the fence and uncertain what to make of the whole row. ‘I just don’t know what to make of it’ says one.

Some though are critical, with several MPs suggesting that Wragg will face pressure to resign from both his role as vice-chairman of the 1922 committee and his select committee chairmanship when parliament returns from recess. With the police now investigating and in the absence of any major developments, Wragg’s role in parliament could fill the news vacuum over the coming months.