MATT Hancock’s relationship with his top aide is under further scrutiny amid claims she was by his side at an “intimate” drinks party two years ago.
The ex-Health Secretary is also facing fresh humiliation after he reportedly asked people to “call me the Minister for Hugs” just two months before The Sun exclusively revealed his affair with Gina Coladangelo.
It seems the pair have a deeper rooted relationship than once thought, as according to the Mail on Sunday, Ms Coladangelo joined him at a private party in Mr Hancock’s Department of Health office in July 2019.
A year later, she was given a £15,000-a-year role as a non-executive director by her lover, where she was ironically tasked with scrutinising his department’s work.
Mr Hancock’s pals originally insisted they only struck up a relationship just days before the kiss on camera in his Whitehall office on May 6.
5TH JUL 2021, 09:30
HAN’S ON
Matt Hancock’s relationship with his top aide is under further scrutiny amid claims she was by his side at an “intimate” drinks party two years ago.
The ex-Health Secretary is also facing fresh humiliation after he reportedly asked people to “call me the Minister for Hugs” just two months before The Sun exclusively revealed his affair with Gina Coladangelo.
Today ministers are to publish the results of reviews into the use of vaccine passports and the future of social distancing.
It seems the pair have a deeper rooted relationship than once thought, as according to the Mail on Sunday, Ms Coladangelo joined him at a private party in Mr Hancock’s Department of Health office in July 2019.
A year later, she was given a £15,000-a-year role as a non-executive director by her lover, where she was ironically tasked with scrutinising his department’s work.
Mr Hancock’s pals originally insisted they only struck up a relationship just days before the kiss on camera in his Whitehall office on May 6.
PRESSURE MOUNTS ON LORD BETHELL OVER USE OF PERSONAL EMAIL ACCOUNT
Health minister Lord Bethell faced fresh calls to resign over his use of a personal email account rather than official communication channels.
Downing Street acknowledged Lord Bethell was using a private email address but suggested that was allowed within the rules, while the peer insisted he had done nothing wrong.
Both the minister and his former boss Matt Hancock have faced claims that they used their private accounts to discuss government business during the pandemic, including potential coronavirus contracts.
Lord Bethell insisted he sought to uphold the ministerial code “in everything I do” as he was questioned by peers.
Pressed by Tory peer and former Boris Johnson aide Lord Udny-Lister if he “routinely” uses his private email, Lord Bethell said: “In terms of the use of private email can I just reassure members that I have read the ministerial code, I have signed the ministerial code and I seek to uphold it in everything I do.”
GOVERNMENT REQUESTED TO EXPLAIN FAILURE TO INVESTIGATE MATT HANCOCK’S COVID BREACH
Labour has requested an explanation from the government as to why there has been no investigation into whether Matt Hancock broke the law during his relationship with an aide, after what the party called “clear evidence” of a breach.
In a letter to Michael Ellis, the attorney general, stated that Hancock’s behaviour highlighted the need for the ministerial code to be underpinned by law.
In a letter signed by Charles Falconer, David Lammy and Nick Thomas-Symonds, noted that Hancock’s contact with Coladangelo was not permitted under social distancing rules in place at the time.
“These are the rules and regulations which the vast majority of the British public made huge sacrifices to follow – including by missing birthdays, weddings and even funerals of close family members and friends,” it says.
TORY BOSS SQUIRMS AS SHE REFUSES TO SAY 14 TIMES IF THERE WILL BE A PROBE INTO HYPOCRITE HANCOCK’S LOCKDOWN AFFAIR
A squirming Tory chief refused to say 14 times whether there will be a probe into Matt Hancock’s lockdown-busting affair with his aide.
Conservative chairwoman Amanda Milling repeatedly refused to answer questions about a possible investigation during a car-crash interview.
Grilled by Sky News host Kay Burley, she initially insisted that she wasn’t on the show to answer questions about the ex Health Sec.
She said: “The matter of the investigation is something that I’m not here to discuss this morning.
HOSPITAL APOLOGISES TO WOMAN WHO WAS UNABLE TO VISIT DYING SON
A hospital has apologised to a woman who was prevented from seeing her dying son in his final weeks.
Ollie Bibby, 27, of South Benfleet in Essex, died of leukaemia on May 5 at University College London Hospital (UCLH). The hospital has pledged to review how it implements national visiting guidance during the pandemic.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer raised the case at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, noting that Mr Bibby died the day before CCTV footage captured then-health secretary Matt Hancock breaching social distancing rules in an embrace with aide Gina Coladangelo.
Mr Bibby’s family and friends were unable to spend time with him and when he was in hospital he begged to see his family, Mr Starmer told the Commons. He said they followed the rules and only one member of his family was allowed to see him.
Mr Bibby’s mother, Penny Bibby, said: “I’m livid. We did everything we were told to do and the man who made the rules didn’t. How can that be right?”
In his response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson referred to Mr Hancock’s resignation as a “Westminster bubble” issue.
BORIS JOHNSON’S REFUSAL TO BIN MATT HANCOCK AFTER SHOCK EXPOSE ‘COST HIM BATLEY & SPEN BY ELECTION’, CABINET MINISTER SAYS
Boris Johnson’s refusal to sack Matt Hancock after The Sun’s bombshell expose cost the Tories the Batley and Spen by-election, a Cabinet minister said today.
Sir Keir Starmer scraped a victory with Jo Cox’s sister Kim Leadbeater in West Yorkshire last night – by just 300 votes.
But top Tories admitted the handling of the Health Sec’s breaking of social distancing rules and affair with his aide was an issue in their loss.
Tory party chairman Amanda Milling admitted the former health sec’s steamy affair was a doorstep talker.
She told Times Radio: “A whole range of issues came up on the doorstep. But you know, I’ve got to be honest, it did come up at the weekend.”
Read the full story here
CONSERVATIVES IN MATT HANCOCK’S CONSTITUENCY BACK EX-HEALTH SECRETARY
Matt Hancock has received the support of Conservative Party members in his constituency after a Tory councillor asked colleagues to deselect the MP if the “selfish, egotistical” former health secretary did not resign.
Ian Houlder wrote to the local party calling for Mr Hancock’s deselection as West Suffolk MP for breaking coronavirus guidance by kissing an aide, which prompted his resignation from Cabinet.
However, the West Suffolk Conservative Association said it had received a “heartfelt apology” from Mr Hancock as it formally backed him to continue representing the constituency.
A spokesperson said: “Following Matt Hancock’s resignation as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, West Suffolk Conservative Association has taken soundings. We wish to express our support for Matt, who has served our constituency tirelessly over the past 11 years.
“Matt has given us a heartfelt apology for recent events, has faced up to the mistakes he has made on both a human and a professional level and expressed sincere contrition. We want to thank Matt for the extraordinary job he has done as health secretary leading the country through the pandemic and overseeing the rollout of the world’s best vaccination programme, and look forward to working with him as he continues to represent his constituents in Parliament.”
HOSPITAL APOLOGISES TO WOMAN WHO WAS UNABLE TO VISIT DYING SON
A hospital has apologised to a woman who was prevented from seeing her dying son in his final weeks.
Ollie Bibby, 27, of South Benfleet in Essex, died of leukaemia on May 5 at University College London Hospital (UCLH). The hospital has pledged to review how it implements national visiting guidance during the pandemic.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer raised the case at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, noting that Mr Bibby died the day before CCTV footage captured then-health secretary Matt Hancock breaching social distancing rules in an embrace with aide Gina Coladangelo.
Mr Bibby’s family and friends were unable to spend time with him and when he was in hospital he begged to see his family, Mr Starmer told the Commons. He said they followed the rules and only one member of his family was allowed to see him.
Mr Bibby’s mother, Penny Bibby, said: “I’m livid. We did everything we were told to do and the man who made the rules didn’t. How can that be right?”
In his response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson referred to Mr Hancock’s resignation as a “Westminster bubble” issue.
CCTV SET UP TO CATCH HANCOCK IN THE ACT, SAYS WHITEHALL SOURCES
The CCTV which caught Matt Hancock in a clinch with an aide was deliberately fixed to “stitch him up”, senior Whitehall insiders have claimed.
The camera was originally pointing in the opposite direction towards the window but had been turned towards the door when it caught the pair.
An internal investigation is reportedly underway whether it was moved accidentally during renovations or its position was shifted deliberately.
“We all think Matt Hancock was really stitched up on this,” a source told the London Evening Standard.
LABOUR ASKS WHY MATT HANCOCK WAS ABLE TO CONDUCT GOVERNMENT BUSINESS OVER PRIVATE EMAIL
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has challenged the Government in the House of Commons over reports Matt Hancock may have conducted government business over private emails.
The disgraced former Health Secretary is alleged to have avoided disclosure laws by using his private email to refer a contractor for lucrative Covid contracts.
The Sunday Times reported that minutes of meetings revealed that Mr Hancock had been using a private email address since March 2020, which meant that key decisions and their reasoning were not recorded or could be difficult to access for any future inquiry into the handling of coronavirus.
Hancock has denied any wrongdoing.
PRESSURE MOUNTS ON LORD BETHELL OVER USE OF PERSONAL EMAIL ACCOUNT
Health minister Lord Bethell faced fresh calls to resign over his use of a personal email account rather than official communication channels.
Downing Street acknowledged Lord Bethell was using a private email address but suggested that was allowed within the rules, while the peer insisted he had done nothing wrong.
Both the minister and his former boss Matt Hancock have faced claims that they used their private accounts to discuss government business during the pandemic, including potential coronavirus contracts.
Lord Bethell insisted he sought to uphold the ministerial code “in everything I do” as he was questioned by peers.
Pressed by Tory peer and former Boris Johnson aide Lord Udny-Lister if he “routinely” uses his private email, Lord Bethell said: “In terms of the use of private email can I just reassure members that I have read the ministerial code, I have signed the ministerial code and I seek to uphold it in everything I do.”
MATT HANCOCK’S MISTRESS GINA COLADANGELO DUMPS HUSBAND OLIVER TRESS FOR RELATIONSHIP WITH SHAMED EX-MINISTER
Matt Hancock will try to turn his affair with his aide Gina Coladangelo into a proper relationship, her friends claim.
The ousted Health Secretary quit on his wife Martha last week after 15 years and is now understood to be living with his lover.
Gina, 43, has called time on her own 12-year marriage with Oliver Tress after her affair was exposed. Oliver, 54, the millionaire Oliver Bonas founder, is said to be “devastated” by the shock revelations, as family pals confirmed the split.
Gina was last seen loading her £70,000 Audi outside the pair’s £3.6million home just hours before news of her affair with boss Matt broke last Friday.
A neighbour in Wandsworth, South West London, said: “Gina and Matt are giving it a proper go and Olly was left reeling. They had lots of friends here so we are all trying to help look after Olly.
CONTINUED: TORY BOSS SQUIRMS AS SHE REFUSES TO SAY 14 TIMES IF THERE WILL BE A PROBE INTO HYPOCRITE HANCOCK’S LOCKDOWN AFFAIR
The Tory chief then claimed she couldn’t “get drawn into” talking about probes because they’re all “individual cases”.
But asked further by the Sky News presenter, who was off air for 6 months after breaking Covid guidelines during a night out on her 60th birthday, Ms Milling, who attends Cabinet as a minister, started to insist that it was a “matter for the Government” instead.
She said: “There are processes that we go through in terms of appointments, and all the processes were gone through in accordance to those.”
Squirming under the pressure, she added: “Matt has rightly resigned. He recognised that he did wrong. And that’s the point, we now need to move on.
“We’re in the middle of a pandemic. We need to get these vaccines rolled out in order to be able to get the country back to normal.”
TORY BOSS SQUIRMS AS SHE REFUSES TO SAY 14 TIMES IF THERE WILL BE A PROBE INTO HYPOCRITE HANCOCK’S LOCKDOWN AFFAIR
A squirming Tory chief refused to say 14 times whether there will be a probe into Matt Hancock’s lockdown-busting affair with his aide.
Conservative chairwoman Amanda Milling repeatedly refused to answer questions about a possible investigation during a car-crash interview.
Grilled by Sky News host Kay Burley, she initially insisted that she wasn’t on the show to answer questions about the ex Health Sec.
She said: “The matter of the investigation is something that I’m not here to discuss this morning.”
MATT HANCOCK WAS NOT ‘DESTINED FOR GREATNESS’ AS GINA COLADANGELO WAS OUT OF HIS LEAGUE, SAYS UNI PAL
Gina Coladangelo was “out of Matt Hancock’s league” and the former Health Secretary was “not destined for greatness”, according to an old university friend of the pair.
Mr Hancock, 42, sensationally quit as Health Secretary after his secret affair with aide Ms Coladangelo was exposed by The Sun.
Maxie Allen – who was a programme co-ordinator at Oxygen during that time – said Mr Hancock was “not someone you would mark out as destined for greatness”.
Mr Allen told the Sunday Mirror: “[Ms Coladangelo] struck me as someone who would get what they want. He’s done well.
“This wouldn’t have happened if he wasn’t the Health Secretary and she wasn’t lobbying, that is blatantly obvious to anyone who knew them back then.
“Gina was very glamorous, very nice and very good looking – all the young men held a candle for her. She was suave, composed and elegant. Most men would have given their right arm to go out with her.”
CAN MATT HANCOCK BE REMOVED AS AN MP? (CONTINUED)
Other than dying or going to prison for more than a year, the only way for an MP to leave office mid-term is if they are booted out by their constituents.
Under a law passed in 2015 constituents have a right to trigger a recall vote if their MP has been sentenced to a less than a year in prison or have been found guilty of serious wrongdoing by the courts or by parliament.
The recall vote is triggered if 10 per cent of eligible voters in the constituency sign a petition within a six-week period. If that is successful it triggers a by-election – but the MP is still allowed to run again.
The law has been used successfully to remove Labour’s Fiona Onasanya and the Conservative’s Chris Davies.
CAN MATT HANCOCK BE REMOVED AS AN MP?
While Matt Hancock resigned as Health Secretary on June 26, 2021, he remains as the MP for West Suffolk.
He became an MP in May 2010 with a majority of 23,194 replacing Richard Strong in the position.
MPs can resign – or be sacked – from the Cabinet with a letter to the Prime Minister but they cannot technically resign as MPs due to law passed forbidding it in 1624.
As they are supposed to only stand down at the next election, MPs who want to leave office during a parliamentary term must accept one of two powerless, unpaid crown appointments called Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds or Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.
The current Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds is Tracy Brabin who stood down after winning the West Yorkshire mayoral race in May – triggering the Batley and Spen by-election.
GOVERNMENT REQUESTED TO EXPLAIN FAILURE TO INVESTIGATE MATT HANCOCK’S COVID BREACH
Labour has requested an explanation from the government as to why there has been no investigation into whether Matt Hancock broke the law during his relationship with an aide, after what the party called “clear evidence” of a breach.
In a letter to Michael Ellis, the attorney general, stated that Hancock’s behaviour highlighted the need for the ministerial code to be underpinned by law.
In a letter signed by Charles Falconer, David Lammy and Nick Thomas-Symonds, noted that Hancock’s contact with Coladangelo was not permitted under social distancing rules in place at the time.
“These are the rules and regulations which the vast majority of the British public made huge sacrifices to follow – including by missing birthdays, weddings and even funerals of close family members and friends,” it says.
MATT HANCOCK’S OFFICE CCTV WAS ‘NO SECRET’ & HE KNEW IT WAS THERE WHEN HE CHEATED ON WIFE, SAYS MP
CCTV in Matt Hancock’s office was “no secret” and the shamed minister knew it was there when he cheated on his wife, an MP says.
Downing Street has dismissed claims the camera could have been planted to capture the ex-Health Secretary’s clinch with Gina Coladangelo.
The Sun revealed footage on Friday of cheating Hancock breaking lockdown rules in his office in Westminster.
Cabinet Office Minister Julia Lopez has now said the recording was “not covert” and was operated by the Department of Health.
The MP also said responsibility for security was down to the department rather than planted by a rogue staff member.
Read more here.
IF MATT HANCOCK KNEW THE CAMERA WAS THERE HE ‘MUST BE THE STUPIDEST MAN ON EARTH’ SAYS LABOUR MP
A picture has also emerged of a CCTV camera clearly visible above Hancock as he stands in his office.
But some ministers have questioned why Hancock would have so brazenly cheated if he was aware of the CCTV.
Labour MP Chris Bryant said: “The Government is saying the camera was not covert.
“The Secretary of State knew it was there. If that’s true, he must be the stupidest man on Earth.”
BRITAIN’S MOST SENIOR LAWYER SAYS THE SUN WAS RIGHT TO REVEAL HANCOCK SCANDAL
The latest twist in the scandal came as Britain’s most senior lawyer declared The Sun was right to reveal cheating Hancock’s lockdown-breaking office clinch.
Asked if there was public interest in our scoop, Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland said: “In a nutshell, there was. I think it’s important those of us who help set the rules, adhere to them.”
Boris Johnson yesterday appeared to suggest he had sacked Mr Hancock.
The PM said: “I read the story on Friday and we’ve got a new Health Secretary in post on Saturday.
“I think that’s about the right pace to proceed in a pandemic.”
MATT HANCOCK REPORTED TO POLICE BY LABOUR MP OVER COVID BREACH AND SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES WITH SECRET LOVER, IT’S CLAIMED
The shamed ex-Health Secretary was referred to the Met after being caught kissing government aide Gina Coladangelo, it’s reported.
But police are refusing to investigate and say they aren’t probing “Covid related issues retrospectively”.
Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Fleur Anderson reportedly asked cops to investigate Mr Hancock after CCTV images showed him flouting social distancing rules while passionately kissing Ms Coladangelo.
Labour’s Shadow Housing Secretary Lucy Powell told Sky News: “My colleague Fleur Anderson has referred this to the police because she wants to know, we want to know, whether Matt Hancock did break the law in his actions.
“At the time, you’ll remember, when this video was taken, we were all told we could only have close contact with those that we were in a bubble with.”
BORIS JOHNSON’S REFUSAL TO BIN MATT HANCOCK AFTER SHOCK EXPOSE ‘COST HIM BATLEY & SPEN BY ELECTION’, CABINET MINISTER SAYS
Boris Johnson’s refusal to sack Matt Hancock after The Sun’s bombshell expose cost the Tories the Batley and Spen by-election, a Cabinet minister said today.
Sir Keir Starmer scraped a victory with Jo Cox’s sister Kim Leadbeater in West Yorkshire last night – by just 300 votes.
But top Tories admitted the handling of the Health Sec’s breaking of social distancing rules and affair with his aide was an issue in their loss.
Tory party chairman Amanda Milling admitted the former health sec’s steamy affair was a doorstep talker.
She told Times Radio: “A whole range of issues came up on the doorstep. But you know, I’ve got to be honest, it did come up at the weekend.”
Read the full story here
LABOUR ASKS WHY MATT HANCOCK WAS ABLE TO CONDUCT GOVERNMENT BUSINESS OVER PRIVATE EMAIL
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has challenged the Government in the House of Commons over reports Matt Hancock may have conducted government business over private emails.
The disgraced former Health Secretary is alleged to have avoided disclosure laws by using his private email to refer a contractor for lucrative Covid contracts.
The Sunday Times reported that minutes of meetings revealed that Mr Hancock had been using a private email address since March 2020, which meant that key decisions and their reasoning were not recorded or could be difficult to access for any future inquiry into the handling of coronavirus.
Hancock has denied any wrongdoing.
CCTV SET UP TO CATCH HANCOCK IN THE ACT, SAYS WHITEHALL SOURCES
The CCTV which caught Matt Hancock in a clinch with an aide was deliberately fixed to “stitch him up”, senior Whitehall insiders have claimed.
The camera was originally pointing in the opposite direction towards the window but had been turned towards the door when it caught the pair.
An internal investigation is reportedly underway whether it was moved accidentally during renovations or its position was shifted deliberately.
