Conservative MP under pressure over relationship with sex worker

British culture secretary John Whittingdale is under pressure to withdraw from decisions about press regulation after disclosing that he had a relationship with a prostitute.

The Conservative, who is single, said he had been unaware of the woman’s occupation and had broken off the relationship when he discovered someone was trying to sell the story to the press.

Downing Street said Mr Whittingdale is "a single man who is entitled to a private life" and that prime minister David Cameron "has full confidence in him".

But the MP faced calls to recuse himself from decisions about press regulation amid claims that the revelations had left him vulnerable.

Favourable press decisions

Brian Cathcart, from the Hacked Off campaign group, said that since becoming culture secretary with responsibility for the media, Mr Whittingdale had taken a number of decisions which had been welcomed by the press.

He told the Press Association: “He is compromised. There is absolutely no doubt about it, he is compromised.

“He knew the press were on to him and he didn’t tell the prime minister, and we would like to know more about how much he knew.

“He knew that at least one newspaper had this story — was he approached by other newspapers? Did he ever wonder why they didn’t run the story?”

Mr Cathcart said he thinks the newspapers “stocked up” the story for future use and as a way to possibly put “pressure on him”.

“Lo and behold, we see that he has made three really important decisions reversing government policy which work entirely in the favour of the press and, frankly, in my view at least, contrary to the public,” he added.

Dr Evan Harris, executive director of Hacked Off, said: “John Whittingdale now needs to be clear about whether he knew that newspapers had this story and were not running it, and if so why he did not tell the PM on his appointment to the Cabinet that this potential and glaring personal conflict of interest existed.”

Withdraw from press regulation

Chris Bryant, who was previously shadow culture secretary, told the BBC: “It seems the press were quite deliberately holding a sword of Damocles over John Whittingdale.

“He has a perfect right to a private life but as soon as he knew this he should have withdrawn from all regulation of the press.”

Shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott said Mr Whittingdale should not be involved in press regulation because of his relationship with Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, but she refused to comment on his private life.

"There are reasons why he should not be involved in press regulation and that goes to his long history of a relationship with the Murdochs, but I don't choose to comment on his private life," Ms Abbott told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

Whittingdale's relationship

The relationship occurred before Mr Whittingdale became a minister, although he was chairman of the influential Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee at the time.

"Between August 2013 and February 2014, I had a relationship with someone who I first met through Match. com. She was a similar age and lived close to me," he said.

“At no time did she give me any indication of her real occupation and I only discovered this when I was made aware that someone was trying to sell a story about me to tabloid newspapers. As soon as I discovered, I ended the relationship.

“This is an old story which was a bit embarrassing at the time. The events occurred long before I took up my present position and it has never had any influence on the decisions I have made as culture secretary.”

BBC2' s Newsnight reported that four newspapers had investigated the claims but had concluded it was not a public interest story.

Press Association