Braintree and Halstead's MP said he will stand down from Parliament at the next General Election - days after telling constituents he would seek re-election.

Brooks Newmark, who served as minister for civil society and founded the Women2Win campaign group, had exchanged suggestive pictures over the internet with a reporter posing as a female Conservative activist.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, he wrote: "The continued media intrusion into past episodes in my personal life is placing an intolerable burden on my family.

"I have therefore decided to stand down at the General Election.

"I will continue to serve my constituents to the best of my abilities until that time.

"I again appeal to the media to respect my family's privacy and to give me a chance to try to heal the hurt I have caused them.

"I have no-one to blame but myself and take full responsibility for my own actions.

"I will remain a loyal supporter of the Government and would like to thank the many friends and colleagues for the support and sympathy they have shown me and my family."

He had issued a heartfelt apology to his family and constituents through the Braintree and Witham Times and Halstead Gazette only a few days ago, saying he would do his best to show them he was worthy of their support.

Mr Newmark was caught in a Sunday Mirror sting involving a "honey trap" operation that used a fictitious party activist called "Sophie Wittam" to flirt with MPs via social media.

The 56-year-old married father of five tendered his resignation as minister of civil society - a post he took up in the summer - after learning that the newspaper was about to publish details of their exchanges.

The male reporter behind the Sophie Wittam Twitter account had used photos of Swedish model Malin Sahlen.

Miss Sahlen said she was "shocked" that her picture had been used to attract MPs.