​TFN discovers few tears are being shed on Twitter at Brooks Newmark's demise

Disagraced charities minister Brooks Newmark may well be wishing he stuck to the old adage "be nice to people on the way up because you may meet them on the way down".

Newmark, who just weeks into post famously advised charities to “stick to their knitting” and keep away from party politics, unceremoniously resigned at the weekend after allegedly sending inappropriate pictures of himself to an undercover reporter - dressed only in paisley pattern pyjamas.

As such his departure has been met with mockery, gloating and few signs of sympathy from those in and around the sector.

Peter Lewis, the Institute of Fundraising chief executive, led the charge, mocking in a tweet: “Brooks Newmark resigns within months of becoming charities minister - quicker than a Man Utd manager.”

Howard Lake, publisher of UK Fundraising, went one further, lamenting the loss of a popular spoof Twitter account purporting to be Newmark.

“Spare a thought for @TwatBrookes. Who's going to create the first parody account for @RobWilson_RDG, new minister for civil society,” he tweeted.

However Sue Wixley, director of communications at charity think tank NPC, came from a totally different angle.

“Leaving aside the implications for charities of #brooksnewmark scandal - he's messed up paisley for me. For a long time. Gutting.”

And the Sunday Mirror column Real Britain – the paper which first “exposed” Newmark - tweeted ironically: “If only Sunday papers stuck to their knitting.”

Joe Saxton at think-tank nfpSynergy took the opportunity to question the role of charities’ minister.

“Brooks Newmark is gone,” he tweeted. “But can somebody tell me any civil society minister who has a legacy that will last? I struggle to tell you one.”

It was left to fellow Conservative MP, former charities minister and close friend Nick Hurd, to offer Newmark a few crumbs of comfort.

“V sad to see resignation of @TweetBrooks as my successor,” he Tweeted. “An old friend and a good man with a lovely family who all should be left in peace.”