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‘Hypocrite’ Matt Hancock skewered Professor Lockdown Neil Ferguson for Covid affair – just a year before his own
'HYPOCRITE' Matt Hancock skewered Professor Lockdown Neil Ferguson for his affair during Covid - just a year before his own.
The Health Secretary stressed the importance of social distancing and criticised the professor's "extraordinary" behaviour during the first lockdown - but Hancock has now broken the rules himself.
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In the clip from May 2020, the Health Secretary condemns the actions of Neil Ferguson - who broke Covid rules to meet his married mistress Antonia Staats.
Mr Hancock said he was left “speechless" by Prof Ferguson’s "extraordinary" behaviour, and said it had been right for him to resign as a government Sage adviser.
Matt Hancock said on Sky News at the time: "The social distancing rules are there for everyone, they're incredibly important and they're deadly serious.
"And the reason is they are the means by which we've managed to get control of this virus."
The Health Secretary goes on to say that it "would not be possible" for Mr Ferguson to have kept his job after he broke social distancing rules.
With the clip resurfacing this morning, the Health Secretary has been branded a hypocrite for a similar breach of Covid rules.
Piers Morgan also tweeted The Sun's front page, exposing the Health Secretary's explosive affair, adding: "At the time he was ordering the British people not to hug anyone from other households…"
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Former minister for Europe Denis MacShane said: “Hancock’s hypocrisy in urging police investigate Prof Neil Ferguson’s affair will come back to haunt.”
And today, Mr Hancock apologised for his actions, saying: "I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances.
"I have let people down and am very sorry.
"I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter."
Mr Hancock cheated on his wife Martha with Gina Coladangelo, 43, who he hired last year with taxpayers’ money, as Covid gripped Britain.
But the shocking images also showed him breaking multiple Covid rules on May 6.
Indoor mixing bans weren't relaxed until May 17 on the lockdown roadmap - meaning that the Health Secretary failed to keep to restrictions brought in by himself and the PM.
Brits were also banned from hugging people outside of their household at the time of Matt Hancock's steamy affair.
And he clearly failed to stick to social distancing rules while getting intimate within the walls of Whitehall.
Mr Hancock, 42, and millionaire lobbyist Gina were caught on camera in a steamy clinch at his Whitehall office.
Whistleblowers revealed the Health Secretary had been spotted cheating on his wife of 15 years with married Ms Coladangelo.
He was seen kissing her at the Department of Health’s London HQ during office hours last month as the mutant strain began spreading.
It comes as:
- Hancock’s wife Martha leaves home still wearing her wedding ring
- Shapps tries to defend Hancock over affair calling it a ‘red herring’
- Gina Coladangelo is married millionaire mum & Oliver Bonas PR chief
- Matt Hancock’s job hangs by a thread after latest scandal
- Hancock mocked by Twitter for 'if you're a woman, swipe up' post
- Who is Matt Hancock’s aide Gina Coladangelo?
A Whitehall whistleblower told The Sun it was “shocking that Mr Hancock was having an affair in the middle of a pandemic with an adviser and friend he used public money to hire”.
Last night, a friend of the Health Secretary said: “He has no comment on personal matters. No rules have been broken.”
Mr Hancock was pictured embracing his aide. The image was from just after 3pm on May 6 — as the rest of Westminster was engrossed by the local elections.
He is seen in his distinctive ninth-floor office inside the sprawling Department of Health building, which is a stone’s throw from the Houses of Parliament.
During the pandemic, the office has provided the backdrop to his Zoom appearances on TV — including the Andrew Marr Show.
Mr Hancock is seen checking the corridor is clear before closing the door and then leaning on it to ensure he cannot be disturbed.
Ms Coladangelo then walks towards him and the pair begin their passionate embrace.
According to a whistleblower, who used to work at the department, the pair have regularly been caught in clinches together.
The source said: “They have tried to keep it a secret but everyone knows what goes on inside a building like that."
COVID BREAKER
The Ministerial Code for MPs stresses: "Working relationships, including with civil servants, and parliamentary staff should be proper and appropriate."
Anneliese Dodds MP, chair of the Labour Party said today: “If Matt Hancock has been secretly having a relationship with an adviser in his office - who he personally appointed to a taxpayer-funded role - it is a blatant abuse of power and a clear conflict of interest.
“The charge sheet against Matt Hancock includes wasting taxpayers’ money, leaving care homes exposed and now being accused of breaking his own COVID rules.
“His position is hopelessly untenable. Boris Johnson should sack him.”
Following the shocking affair, Mr Shapps said on Sky News today: "I think it's a bit of a red herring.
"And in this case, I think it's really a personal story.
"The Health Secretary has been working very hard rolling out this vaccine programme. And so I'll leave it there."
And speaking about how Gina Coladangel was hired as an aide during the pandemic, the Travel Secretary said: "In terms of rules, anyone who's been appointed has to go through an incredibly rigorous process in Government.
"So whatever the rules are, the rules will have to be followed.
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"There are no shortcuts as anyone who has anything to do with the appointments system in the civil service knows there are very strict rules in place.
"I would only ever appoint somebody who's qualified for the role, as I understand that this individual was more than qualified for the role of being provided."
Hilarious moment BBC political reporter struggles to pronounce Matt Hancock's mistress' name leaving viewers in stitches
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