But TV viewers label him a skiver

A WESTMINSTER sleaze watchdog has been flooded with complaints about Matt Hancock appearing on I’m A Celebrity – but is powerless to reprimand him.

Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone revealed that ‘dozens’ of members of the public had written to her to complain about the ex-health secretary abandoning his constituents to appear on the series.

But she told MPs that the West Suffolk MP had not been placed under investigation because he has not broken any specific part of the Code of Conduct.

Miss Stone told the Standards Committee yesterday: ‘My office has in recent weeks received dozens of complaints about Matt Han

‘Supposed to be fulfilling duties’

cock’s choice to appear on a reality television programme while sitting as a Member of Parliament – a choice that’s resulted in him losing the whip.

‘It raises important questions about members’ proper activities while they’re supposed to be fulfilling their parliamentary duties and representing their constituents.’

But asked if she could investigate Mr Hancock, she replied: ‘ No, because it doesn’t breach a rule per se, unless we are thinking about the conflict between personal and public interest, and settling that conflict in the interests of the public.’

It came as Rishi Sunak said he was also ‘disappointed’ in Mr Hancock’s decision to do the show.

The Prime Minister told reporters at the G20 summit in Bali: ‘I think politics at its best can and should be actually quite noble... 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.’