Secretary of state for work and pensions Stephen Crabb, a former candidate for the Conservative leadership and committed Christian, engaged in a series of sexually explicit exchanges with a young woman on the messaging service WhatsApp during the run-up to the EU referendum.

The messages were obtained by The Times, which reports one from Crabb describing a sex act he wanted to perform on the woman. Another says MPs "trip in all kinds of ways". An early message says: "Most MPs are risk takers to one degree or another. Usually in the areas of money, sex, political opportunism. Add in the adrenalin, the attention u get, and the time away from family...toxic mix."

He also told the woman that "the public can't expect MPs to be angels".

The woman is believed to be in her twenties and is thought to have met him a few years ago.

Crabb did not comment on the messages to The Times other than to defend remarks about the risk-taking habits of MPs, saying: "I've got nothing to add to that. I mean that's true observation, isn't it?"

Crabb, 43, met his wife Beatrice Monnier at university in Bristol. The couple have two children and she works in his constituency office. His Christian faith and family values were emphasised during the leadership campaign, which saw him backed by 34 MPs before he withdrew from the race. He offered his support to Theresa May.

He has been work and pensions secretary since his predecessor Iain Duncan Smith quit over benefits cuts.