David Cameron backs culture secretary amid controversy

Downing Street has rejected calls for culture secretary John Whittingdale to step aside from decisions about press regulation after he disclosed that he had a relationship with a sex worker.

Whittingdale, who is single, said he had been unaware of the woman’s occupation and had broken off the relationship after six months in 2014 when he discovered someone was trying to sell the story to the press.

Labour’s shadow culture secretary, Maria Eagle, said it was now essential for Whittingdale to give up his responsibilities for press regulation to ensure there was no perception of “undue influence” in his dealings with newspapers.