‘Together but apart’
Hancock and Gina not yet living as a couple but building relationship out of the public gaze, say friends
MATT HANCOCK and his lover Gina Coladangelo are ‘together, apart’ as they try to build a relationship out of the public gaze, say friends.
The former Health Secretary is understood to be in regular contact with Ms Coladangelo – but they are not yet living together.
On Thursday, Mr Hancock was pictured collecting his belongings from his former marital home in London.
The father-of-three was handed a bin bag containing his clothes, along with ten boxes, two suitcases, a child seat and a coffee machine – and was watched at the garden gate by a confused-looking family dog.
Mr Hancock, 42, resigned in June after CCTV footage was leaked which showed him breaching social distancing rules by kissing Ms Coladangelo.
He is now fighting to try to rebuild his political career – and forge an official, public relationship with Ms Coladangelo – but unrest in his West Suffolk constituency means he could even face de selection and lose his Commons seat.
Last week, councillors in Newmarket passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Hancock, with the mayor of the horseracing town, Michael Jefferys, using his casting vote to pass the motion which said that the former Minister had ‘neglected the best interests of his constituents’ and, as health secretary, ‘demonstrated hypocrisy and hubris in the pursuit of his own interests’.
West Suffolk Conservative Association said that it had received a heartfelt apology from him, and formally backed him to continue representing the constituency. Ms Coladangelo has three children with her husband Oliver Tress, the founder of the homeware firm Oliver Bonas.
A friend of Mr Hancock said: ‘He is still very much together with Gina, but they are physically apart because of the intense media interest.’
One option being considered to try to defuse the situation would be for the couple to make a public appearance together for pictures – on the condition that they are then left in peace to be together.
The couple are also conscious of the interests of the six children from the two marriages when deciding how to manage the publicity around their relationship.
Yesterday, BBC radio presenter Jeremy Vine tweeted the pictures of Mr Hancock being handed his belongings by his wife with the comment: ‘This guy lost his family, his job, his home, his reputation, and may even lose his seat. There’s a life lesson here.’