Matt Hancock has resigned as health secretary after admitting to breaking coronavirus rules, Downing Street said.
In his resignation letter, Mr Hancock said: ‘The last thing I want is my privacy to distract from the purposeful purpose that is taking us out of this crisis.
“I want to reiterate my apologies for breaking the guidelines and apologize to my family and loved ones for putting them through this. I also need (to be) with my children at this time.”
It comes after a CCTV leak showed the MP kissing assistant and former lobbyist Gina Coladangelo in her departmental office.
The images, published by The Sun, were dated May 6 – more than a week before social distancing rules were relaxed regarding close indoor contact for people from separated households.
Ms Coladangelo, who has been a close friend of the former minister since graduating from university, was appointed non-executive director at the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs last year.
Hancock said in his resignation letter: “We owe it to the people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we let them down like I did by breaking guidelines.
The NHS is the best gift a nation has ever given itself, and the dedication and courage of NHS staff and the tireless work of departmental officials is something we should all be proud of.
“We haven’t made all the right decisions, but I know people understand how difficult it is to deal with the unknown, which makes the trade-offs between freedom, prosperity and health that we have faced difficult.
“I am so proud that Britain avoided the disaster of an overwhelmed NHS and that, through foresight and brilliant science, we led the world in the vaccination effort, so we are on point. of a return to normality. “
Labor and Liberal Democrats called for Mr Hancock’s impeachment, claiming that the footage raised questions as to whether there had been a …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-26 17:14:00
