Senior Tory MP William Wragg to meet with Met Police over government blackmail claims

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But on Friday evening, Mr Wragg – one of the first MPs to publicly declare having submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister – said he wanted to leave any inquiry “to the experts”. A Scotland Yard spokesperson told The Independent that the force could not discuss any planned meetings, adding of the potential blackmail claims: “As with any such allegations, should a criminal offence be reported to the Met, it would be considered.” Neither the Conservative Party, nor Mr Wragg immediately responded to a request for comment. According to The Telegraph, one source in the government’s whips’ office said that the claims of threats and blackmail were untrue, and asked rebel MPs for “for a single shred of evidence”. A group of red wall MPs were said on Friday to be gathering “an increasing level of evidence”, allegedly including a recording of chief whip Mark Spencer and text messages sent to MPs who were considering sending a no confidence letter to the backbench 1922 Committee chairman, Sir Graham Brady.