Health secretary Matt Hancock resigns: Michael Gove and Nadhim Zahawi potential successors
Gove #Gove
Former Chancellor and Home Secretary Sajid Javid will replace Matt Hancock as Health Secretary, Downing Street has announced.
Matt Hancock resigned this evening, the day after video footage emerged of him kissing an aide in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions.
Images and video showed Hancock in an embrace with aide Gina Coladangelo last month, and the Health Secretary was facing increasing pressure to quit over the breaking of social-distancing rules.
Resignation letter
Hancock wrote to Boris Johnson today and said: “The last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading up out of this crisis.”
He said: “We owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down as I have done by breaching the guidance.”
In response, the Prime Minister wrote: “You should leave office very proud of what you have achieved – not just in tackling the pandemic, but even before Covid-19 struck us.”
Boris Johnson had refused to sack Hancock, with his spokesman saying the PM considered the matter closed after receiving the West Suffolk MP’s apology yesterday.
However, earlier today Conservative MPs began to break ranks to call for Mr Hancock to go.
Veteran Tory Christopher Chope said his constituents were “seething”.
Norfolk Norfolk MP Duncan Baker said: “In my view people in high public office and great positions of responsibility should act with the appropriate morals and ethics that come with that role.”
‘Inevitable’
In response to Hancock’s resignation, Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats called the development “inevitable.”
“You cannot be a rule maker and rule breaker. His hypocrisy undermined the efforts of millions of Brits who have made huge sacrifices to keep everyone safe throughout this pandemic,” Davey said.
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