Rishi Sunak slams Matt Hancock for threatening ‘noble’ profession and reveals whether he’s watching I’m a Celeb

RISHI Sunak has hit out at I’m A Celebrity contestant Matt Hancock for running away from solving the major issues facing the country.

The Prime Minister blasted the ex-Health Secretary for not using his influence as an MP to sway the debate on challenges such as the cost of living crisis.

Mr Hancock decided to fly to Australia for the jungle show after being snubbed by the PM for a position in his new look government when he entered Number 10 last month.

Sunak, who has not watched a second of the ITV show, said:  “We’ve spent however long it has been about all these challenges that the country faces and not just me but MPs not just from my party, from all parties are focused on debating and trying to solve.

“I think that’s what we should be focused on and that’s why I was disappointed he went on the show.”

He turned his fire on his former colleague, who is sitting without the Tory whip, saying Mr Hancock was at risk of threatening an MP’s “noble” profession,

The PM said:  “I think politics at its best can and should be actually quite noble. I think most people who get into politics, from whatever party, do it because they care about public service.

“They want to make a difference to their communities, they want to make a difference to their country and so when that works well it’s a special thing but you have to earn people’s respect right, it is not given just because you are a politician.

“Though I do think as you’ve said it is incumbent on all members of parliament to do the things that earn people’s respect and that’s serving your constituents really well, making a difference to them in surgeries, it is how you conduct yourself.

“Everyone is going to do it in a slightly different way but I think it’s important that we have our constituents and our country and the forefront of what we do when we go around our day to day lives.

“We are privileged to have these jobs and we should take that privilege seriously and we should give it the responsibility that is owe.

Mr Sunak, speaking as he flew to Indonesia for the G20, was asked whether he had seen any of the show.

He said:  “Sadly not, no, I’ve been busy, I’ve barely seen my children or anyone else for that matter over the last couple of weeks, so no, I haven’t seen it.”

Mr Hancock is understood to be picking up a pay cheque of £400,000 for his appearance and wants to raise the cause of dyslexia to millions of viewers.