Education Secretary Nicky Morgan today became the most senior Tory politician yet to complain about a newspaper sting targeting MPs online. It follows allegations of 'entrapment' against a newspaper that forced Brooks Newmark to resign as a minister for sending an explicit photograph of himself to an undercover reporter posing as a Tory activist. As another MP said the story could be a test case for the new press regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation, Mrs Morgan said the Sunday Mirror 'will have to think about their conduct'. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan today suggested the Sunday Mirror had questions to answer about its sting involving Charities Minister Brooks Newmark, who resigned after sending an explicit photograph of himself to an undercover journalist posing as a Tory activist
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Education Secretary and women's minister raises doubts about 'conduct'
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'Sophie Wittams' was an online alter-ego used by Sunday Mirror reporter
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He used her persona to tempt the interest of a number of Tory MPs
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Case set to be referred to the Independent Press Standards Organisation
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Women whose pictures were used say they are unhappy at being involved
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Lawyers questioned whether sting could be justified in public interest
However, lawyers and media commentators questioned whether there was a public interest in using subterfuge to get the Tory MP to exchange explicit images with an undercover reporter, who was working for the @placeholder.