Matt Hancock: MPs urge ex-health minister to resign ahead of ‘I’m a Celebrity’
Matt Hancock #MattHancock
LIVE – Updated at 04:26
Matt Hancock may have broken ministerial rules by failing to ask the authorities for permission to head to the jungle to appear on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
The former health secretary did not ask Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) watchdog whether it was appropriate to join the reality show.
The chair of the committee, Tory peer Eric Pickles, is set to write to Mr Hancock to seek an explanation, The Independent understands.
The ministerial code says ex-ministers must check with Acoba about “any appointments or employment they wish to take up” within the first two years of leaving office.
But Mr Hancock’s spokesperson has said is still within rules, because they allow for “one-off broadcasts” on the media without permission.
The West Suffolk MP has been suspended from the party, but defended his decision in an article in The Sun, claiming he is participating in the show so he can “go to where the people are – not to sit in ivory towers in Westminster”.
Key points
Labour accuses Hancock of showing ‘contempt for constituents’ 04:26 , Stuti Mishra
Labour has accused Matt Hancock of treating his constituents with contempt by jetting off to the jungle for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
A Labour Party spokesman said: “Clearly the responsibility of Members of Parliament is to be representing their constituents, whether that’s in their constituency or in Parliament, and that is not what Matt Hancock is doing.
“It’s not something that we would support in terms of him doing. I think it shows contempt for his constituents to be going off to Australia to earn money in this way.
“I think it also raises questions around the rules on former ministers seeking employment as well.”
The spokesman said there are “clearly ways in which MPs should look to use all means of communications to talk about their work” but “this mustn’t happen in a way which undermines their primary responsibility, which is to be around to represent their constituents”.
04:18 , Stuti Mishra
Welcome to The Independent’s live blog with the latest developments and reactions after Matt Hancock’s appearance on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
Matt Hancock has Tory whip suspended after joining I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here
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