It’s Hancock’s laugh hour! But MPs slam ‘Covid joke’
MATT HANCOCK made a ‘tasteless’ joke about the pandemic while breaking the coronavirus curfew by drinking in a Commons bar after 10pm, it is claimed.
The health secretary arrived in the Smoking Room last Monday night and ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc – after being grilled by MPs on why Public Health England failed to forward 16,000 positive test results for contact tracing.
‘The drinks are on me – but Public Health England are in charge of the payment methodology so I will not be paying anything,’ he reportedly said.
He then returned after a 9.40pm vote and was still drinking nearly an hour later, a senior Conservative MP told the Mail on Sunday. The paper added another MP bought a bottle at 9.59pm to drink.
Opposition MPs demanded an apology, saying Mr Hancock has ‘no shame’.
‘Thanks to his incompetence, we have a failing test-and-trace system which has left thousands mourning loved ones and millions worrying about their livelihoods as they face yet further lockdown measures,’ said Lib Dem health spokeswoman Munira Wilson. A government source admitted Mr Hancock made the joke, but his spokesman said he left the bar for a 9.42pm vote then went home.
Conservative MP Charles Walker, leader of the Commons administration committee, promised to investigate and said late-night drinking ‘must stop’.
Meanwhile the Tory source was adamant Mr Hancock was there until 10.25pm. ‘Everyone is panicking and trying to cover for Matt, but I know what I saw and I can tell the time,’ they said.