Exclusive: ‘Under Boris, the tail has been wagging the dog way too much’, says Charlie Mullins June 30, 2021 Discussing new health secretary Sajid Javid with London’s best-known plumber, entrepreneur Charlie Mullins, it becomes instantly clear that the founder of Pimlico Plumbers is a big fan. “In 2020, Sajid Javid chose to quit as Chancellor and walk out of Number 11 rather than bow down to Dominic Cummings and the Prime Minister and sack [...]
Health minister defends use of private email for government business June 29, 2021 Health minister Lord Bethell has rejected the idea that it is wrong for ministers to use a personal email address for government business, after it was revealed that he and former health secretary Matt Hancock used theirs “routinely”. The fresh allegations against the former health secretary and his junior minister were revealed in minutes from [...]
CCTV camera that caught Matt Hancock kiss disabled amid security questions June 28, 2021 Security reviews have been launched in Westminster after the leak of compromising footage from Matt Hancock’s former office in the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Hancock quit as health secretary after CCTV images were leaked showing him breaching social distancing rules in an embrace with aide Gina Coladangelo. Ministers have expressed surprise at [...]
‘I don’t comment’: Matt Hancock email row puts spotlight on Boris Johnson’s communications June 28, 2021 The row over Matt Hancock’s use of a private email account has led to questions for Boris Johnson over his own communications. Former health secretary Hancock has been accused of using a private Gmail account to conduct government business, something denied by No 10. But the Prime Minister was targeted by Labour after refusing to [...]
Government to launch probe into Matt Hancock CCTV footage leak June 27, 2021 The government’s health department has launched an internal inquiry into how the CCTV footage that led to Hancock’s resignation was leaked. A government minister has confirmed that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is investigating how images and a video of the former health secretary kissing an adviser in his private office were [...]
Matt Hancock habitually used private email account for government business June 27, 2021 The now ex-health secretary’s decision to use a private account for government business concealed information from government officials and potentially the public. Former health secretary Matt Hancock is under investigation for using a personal email account rather than an official account to conduct government affairs during the pandemic, in a breach of ministerial guidelines, according [...]
Labour says Boris Johnson has ‘very dangerous blind spot’ over integrity June 27, 2021 Labour has repeated its point that the PM should have sacked Hancock immediately after video footage emerged of him kissing an aide in his ministerial office in a breach of coronavirus restrictions. The prime minister has a “very dangerous blind spot” over issues of integrity and conduct in government ministers’ public life, shadow housing secretary [...]
Sajid Javid appointed Health Secretary following Matt Hancock’s resignation June 26, 2021 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 [...]
Pressure builds on Boris Johnson to sack Matt Hancock over affair June 26, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to sack Matt Hancock after pictures emerged of the health secretary kissing an aide. Hancock has apologised for breaking social distancing rules after CCTV footage showed him in an embrace with Gina Coladangelo, reportedly taken in his Westminster offices on 6 May. The prime minister’s spokesperson yesterday [...]
Matt Hancock admits breaking social distancing rules with aide office kiss June 25, 2021 Matt Hancock has admitted to breaking social distancing rules after pictures emerged last night of him kissing his closest aide Gina Coladangelo. The health secretary said he was “very sorry” and that he had “let people down”, as both Labour and the Liberal Democrats urged the Prime Minister to sack him. But Hancock resisted calls [...]