The Gaurdian

Makers of phones, TVs and smart doorbells legally required to protect devices against access by cybercriminals

Tech that comes with weak passwords such as “admin” or “12345” will be banned in the UK under new laws dictating that all smart devices must meet minimum security standards.

Measures to protect consumers from hacking and cyber-attacks come into effect on Monday, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said.

A group of software experts and barristers who have been supporting the subpostmasters affected by the Post Office Horizon miscarriages of justice call for changes to the bill going through the House of Lords

It is now clear that the Post Office was advised by its lawyers to delay disclosing some evidence that would help subpostmasters (Post Office was urged by external lawyers to ‘suppress’ key document, inquiry hears, 18 April).

Failure to disclose vital evidence about the defects in the Horizon IT system led to appalling injustice. We suggest that the data protection and digital information bill that is currently before parliament should be amended to require that a person seeking to rely on computer evidence should have to declare on oath that, having made the necessary inquiries, they know of no reason why it should not be relied on.
Martyn Thomas Emeritus professor, Gresham College
Harold Thimbleby Emeritus professor, Gresham College
Bev Littlewood Emeritus professor, City, University of London
Martin Newby Emeritus professor, City, University of London
Paul Marshall Barrister
Stephen Mason Barrister
James Christie

The force has said there was nothing to suggest at the time that the messages were part of a wider pattern

The Metropolitan police first had reports of unsolicited messages targeting a number of MPs, staff and journalists in Westminster last year, but officers failed to notify politicians.

After the former Conservative MP William Wragg said he was manipulated into giving the personal phone numbers of colleagues to a man he met on a dating app, Scotland Yard said it was working with other police forces, alongside its own investigation, amid concerns many other MPs could have been targeted.

Tory MP resigns committee roles after apology for role in parliamentary sexting scandal

The Conservative MP who divulged colleagues’ personal phone numbers to someone he met on a dating app as part of a parliamentary sexting scandal has stepped down from two Commons roles, it has been reported.

William Wragg has resigned as chair of the Commons’ public administration and constitutional affairs committee and also quit his post as the vice-chair of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers after admitting to giving the information to a man he met, according to reports.

Message comes as pressure builds on Tories to take disciplinary action against MP William Wragg

• UK politics – latest updates

Downing Street has urged MPs to be cautious when responding to unsolicited messages, after the “spear-phishing” attack that targeted more than a dozen MPs, staff and journalists working in Westminster.

Number 10 issued the warning on Monday morning, days after two police forces launched an investigation into what is being described as an attempted “honeytrap”.

The ‘senior Tory’ has issued a self-flagellating apology, but he still has the whip – and Sunak’s low bar sinks lower

Where to start with Westminster’s latest scandal, which – without wishing to speculate on spoilers – I suggest you formally label as “developing”? Blowing his own cover in it is William Wragg, MP for Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester, and chair of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee. Aged 36, William is described as a “senior Tory” on the basis of something or other – possibly his predilection for calling for other politicians to resign on moral grounds. Mind you, these days being an MP since 2015 means you’ve seen five prime ministers. If anything, you’re a Tory grandee.

Anyway, here follow the bare bones of what Wragg seems to have got himself mixed up in. Having connected with someone on Grindr, he began an exchange that led, in his own words, to his correspondent getting “compromising things on me”. Instead of going immediately to the police, as far as we know Wragg instead opted to start obliging his tormentor with the numbers of other MPs, Westminster staff and political journalists. These new targets were duly sent photos fairly early on in their own exchanges with their mystery correspondent, and – incredibly and yet entirely credibly – at least two MPs then responded by sending explicit pictures themselves.

Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist

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Party source says William Wragg will not face suspension for now after giving MPs’ numbers to Grindr app contact

• UK politics – latest updates

A senior Conservative MP will keep the whip while the party investigates his role in a sexting scandal.

A Conservative source said William Wragg, the Tory MP for Hazel Grove, would not be suspended from the party whip for now amid concerns that he is also a victim.