Hancock’s battle with Sunak over Covid rules
Minister sought to enlist the Cabinet Secretary as he tried to force through tougher curbs on public
MATT HANCOCK sought to enlist Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, in a plan to outflank Rishi Sunak during repeated rows over Covid restrictions.
Mr Hancock and Mr Sunak were at odds in the pandemic over the extent of lockdown measures, with the then health secretary more in favour of tighter curbs than the then chancellor.
Whatsapp messages published by The Daily Telegraph show that Mr Hancock and Mr Case appeared to share frustrations over Mr Sunak’s stance.
Mr Case messaged Mr Hancock to tell him Mr Sunak and Sir Alok Sharma, at that time the business secretary, were opposing a policy telling hospitality venues to keep customers’ details for contact tracing purposes.
Mr Case told Mr Hancock that Mr Sunak was “going bonkers” about the policy and that Sir Alok would be “mad” to oppose it. When Mr Hancock questioned Sir Alok’s “strange approach” to the issue, Mr Case suggested it was “pure Conservative ideology” on the part of the business secretary.
The exchanges may raise awkward questions for Mr Case, not only because he now answers directly to Mr Sunak, but also because, as the head of the Civil Service, he is duty bound to be politically neutral.
The latest Lockdown Files messages released by The Daily Telegraph lay bare the tensions in the Cabinet over Covid restrictions, pitting Mr Hancock against Mr Sunak. Both had ambitions for higher office and messages seen by The Telegraph suggest a level of paranoia from Mr Hancock over his colleague’s access to Boris Johnson.
In one message, Mr Hancock worries – mistakenly – that Mr Sunak is “in the room” with Mr Johnson, and in another, he suggests Mr Sunak’s caution over a second national lockdown was a way of “showing ankle to the hard Right”.
In October 2020, when Mr Johnson was about to announce a second lockdown, Mr Hancock told Mr Case: “I am very worried about a rearguard action that has screwed us all over too often.”
Mr Hancock and his aides also complained that the Treasury was briefing against him and his department. He messaged Mr Sunak to say: “Stop your ‘allies’ from briefing against me.”
Messages disclosed today also include a Whatsapp conversation from January 2020, at the very beginning of the pandemic, in which Mr Hancock shared a memo from a “wise friend”, telling him the pandemic could propel his career “into the next league”. In another message, he responds to a poll on the popularity of different Cabinet ministers, by saying: “---- that’s good.”
It comes as John Edwards, the Information Commissioner, writes in today’s newspaper that The Telegraph’s Lockdown Files investigation “exposes how Whatsapp messages were used to discuss and decide key government business during the pandemic”, and that it “underlines the importance of maintaining a public record of these private transcripts for transparency, accountability and lesson learning in the future”.
He adds that it shows “in reality that much of this information rests on people’s personal phones, or within personal accounts, and that it is rarely properly documented and archived”.
In June 2020, months into the first national lockdown, ministers were arguing over when restrictions should be lifted and to what extent.
One Cabinet row centred on the issue of whether restaurants, pubs and cafés should keep a register of customers’ details for NHS Test and Trace when they reopened after the lockdown.
Mr Hancock wanted hospitality venues to be told they “should” keep a register, but Sir Alok wanted it to be watered down to “can”.
Mr Case, who at the time was permanent secretary in charge of the Covid response, messaged Mr Hancock in a meeting to inform him that Sir Alok was “blocking ‘should’”, before adding: “Will need to fix after this meeting.”
Mr Hancock replied: “Well I’m blocking ‘can’ and the PM concluded thus yesterday!” Mr Case then told Mr Hancock that the issue “is about to be resolved in Cabinet”, before adding: “If Alok mad enough to raise it, PM will probably be clear again.”
Mr Hancock then puzzled over Sir Alok’s motivations. “Question I can’t understand is why Alok is against controlling the virus. Strange approach,” said Mr Hancock to which Mr Case replied: “Pure Conservative ideology.”
Mr Sunak also became embroiled in the “should” versus “can” row, siding with Sir Alok. In a Whatsapp message to Mr Hancock, Mr Case informed him: “Rishi going bonkers about ‘should’ right now too.” Mr Hancock ultimately won the day. When hospitality businesses reopened on July 4, 2020, government guidance said they “should” keep contact details for customers for a period of 21 days, so customers could be contacted by NHS Test and Trace if anyone who had been in a venue later tested positive for coronavirus.
The guidance descended into farce as so many customers were contacted out of the blue that it was dubbed the “pingdemic”. It was eventually withdrawn in February last year.
The Lockdown Files show further behind-the-scenes rows in the run-up to the second national lockdown at the beginning of November 2020.
After The Telegraph had published a story in which Mr Sunak had warned against “rushing to another lockdown”, Mr Hancock told a close aide: “What’s Rishi’s dilemma? Whether to stop the virus, or tilt at the party & show ankle to the hard Right?”
IT WAS 1am on June 25, 2021, when pictures were published online of Matt Hancock and his aide, Gina Coladangelo, in an intimate embrace in his ministerial office.
Just three minutes later, the then health secretary and his aides began a frantic scrabble to save his political career – and in the 41 hours that followed, Mr Hancock tried desperately to find exceptions to the rules to justify his behaviour.
His Whatsapp messages reveal the forever changing public statements he planned to make, from claims that no rules were broken, to apologising for breaking the guidance to eventually tendering his resignation.
Later that morning Mr Hancock said that he had the support of Boris Johnson, and that a suggestion that he apologise for breaking social distancing guidance “is emphatically not the PM’S steer”.
Less than an hour later, during a Zoom meeting with the Prime Minister, he suggested: “I could apologise for the whole thing – I have, after all, cheated on my wife.”
As his Cabinet position looked increasingly threatened by the weight of public outrage, the health secretary and his aides tried to recruit more than 25 Tory MPS to publicly defend him, including eight former and current Cabinet ministers.
As his pleas for public support appeared to fall on deaf ears, Mr Hancock celebrated the public support of Lord Hague, a former Foreign Secretary, as “gold dust”.
When he decided to resign on June 26, he turned to his mentor, George Osborne, for help with his statement, and was told that he should probably remove his declaration of love for Ms Coladangelo and add an apology to his family.
The Lockdown Files reveal that Mr Hancock had wanted to focus the public’s attention on whether any rules had been broken when he appointed Ms Coladangelo as a paid adviser, rather than whether their embrace had broken the law or the rules on social distancing.
His team believed that the “trickiest” issue was the fact that he had been having an affair while the Government in which he served had banned hugs between children and their grandparents.
In messages leaked to this newspaper he admits that the affair began on May 4, and the CCTV footage of the couple kissing in his office was captured two days later.
At the time, the UK was in Step 2 of the coronavirus regulations, legislation that criminalised indoor gatherings “of two or more people”.
Exceptions to the ban included that “the gathering [was] reasonably necessary … for work purposes or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services”.
Separate government guidance in place at the time stated that people at such gatherings should stay at least a metre apart.
In Step 3 –from May 17 – the guidance changed to allow hugging.
Mr Hancock had been expecting the news to break, having received a call from Victoria Newton, the editor of The Sun at 6.53pm on June 24. In his book, he says that he phoned Boris Johnson to inform him of the affair before setting off home to tell his wife Martha and their children.
As he was talking to his wife, he was also discussing media strategy with Damon Poole, his special adviser, the messages reveal. The pair discuss several possible press statements that initially insist “no rules were broken”.
Mr Poole was also discussing the impending bombshell with Jack Doyle, Boris Johnson’s director of communications, as they fielded questions from Harry Cole, the political editor of The Sun.
Damon Poole [spokesman for the health secretary]
“This is a personal matter which began in recent weeks and no rules have been broken. We request that the privacy of the families is respected at this time.” [On suggestions surrounding Ms Coladangelo’s appointment]
“This NED appointment was made in the usual way and followed normal departmental process. It significantly predates the personal matters raised.” [24/06/2021, 20:07:00]
Damon Poole
[Shares a link which shows that the country did not move to Step 3 until May 17] [24/06/2021, 20:10:04]
Damon Poole
on phone with jack [24/06/2021, 20:18:15]
Matt Hancock
Ok. Where do we say “began in the last few
weeks” or suchlike? [24/06/2021, 20:18:21]
Matt Hancock
We will get incoming on 1m+ [24/06/2021, 20:18:32]
Damon Poole
he says dont go on record [24/06/2021, 20:19:18]
Matt Hancock
Strongly agree [24/06/2021, 20:19:51]
Damon Poole
snappers will be at your house and the dept [24/06/2021, 20:21:06]
Matt Hancock
I am talking to Martha now [24/06/2021, 20:42:21]
Matt Hancock
Then going to stay at my brother’s [24/06/2021, 20:42:30]
As they wait to see the story, they note that the newspaper will be printing pictures of the couple. Newspaper front pages normally go on social media sites at around 10pm, when they have printed their first edition.
For this story, The Sun held back online publication to prevent rival publications using their exclusive in the following morning’s newspapers.
Matt Hancock
How bad are the pics? [24/06/2021, 22:18:22]
Damon Poole
It a snog and heavy petting. [24/06/2021, 22:20:45]
Matt Hancock
How the f--- did anyone photograph that? [24/06/2021, 22:22:23]
Damon Poole
F--- knows [24/06/2021, 22:22:53]
Damon Poole
Did you snog her in the department [24/06/2021, 22:23:27]
Matt Hancock
Yes [24/06/2021, 22:23:58]
Damon Poole
Where about [24/06/2021, 22:24:15]
Matt Hancock
Office & balcony. [24/06/2021, 22:25:03]
Damon Poole
Balcony [24/06/2021, 22:25:14]
Matt Hancock
Possibly [24/06/2021, 22:25:22]
Matt Hancock
Actually I think not [24/06/2021, 22:25:31]
Damon Poole
Lots of places where you can see that [24/06/2021, 22:25:34]
Matt Hancock
But def office [24/06/2021, 22:25:39]
Matt Hancock
We will see shortly on the front page of Her Majesty’s Current Bun [24/06/2021, 22:26:00]
Matt Hancock
BTW this is a first offence and genuine [24/06/2021, 22:26:31]
Matt Hancock
That won’t matter much tmrw but it will in the medium term [24/06/2021, 22:26:50]
Mr Hancock then calls his closest advisers to warn them of the media storm that is about to break. When he sees the front page at 1am, Mr Hancock seems to think that the revelations are not as bad as anticipated and asks to “keep the focus on the appointment” of Ms Coladangelo as a non-executive director (NED) in his department.
Damon Poole
[Shares link to The Sun article headlined: Matt Hancock’s secret affair with aide Gina Coladangelo is exposed] [25/06/2021, 01:03:18]
Matt Hancock
That f------ CCTV camera [25/06/2021, 01:04:14]
Matt Hancock
That write up is very gentle. [25/06/2021, 01:08:10]
Matt Hancock
Keep the focus on the appointment [25/06/2021, 01:08:18]
Damon Poole
Extremely gentle [25/06/2021, 01:10:04]
Damon Poole
You couldn’t have really asked for better [25/06/2021, 01:10:14]
Damon Poole
What a c--- who sold it [25/06/2021, 01:10:30]
It appears that they get some sleep, but less than five hours later, the pair are back online trying to manage the unfolding crisis. Mr Poole is inundated with requests from journalists.
Grant Shapps, then transport secretary, was preparing to do the morning round of broadcast interviews on behalf of the Government.
Damon Poole
What do you want Shapps to say [25/06/2021, 06:15:38]
Matt Hancock
“I understand this is very recent, the appointment long predates this, and no rules have been broken”? [25/06/2021, 06:17:54]
Matt Hancock
Matt’s done an amazing job in tough
circumstances and I think we should leave
personal matters alone, since no suggestion any rules have been broken [25/06/2021, 06:18:56]
Damon Poole
I understand this is a recent personal matter and that no rules have been broken. Not going to get into these things this morning. I’m looking forward to working with Matt on things like ensuring people can travel abroad safely. If pushed on the appointment I understand this appointment was made in the usual way and followed normal process. [25/06/2021, 06:21:20]
Matt Hancock
Needs to include “appointment long predates this” [25/06/2021, 06:26:09]
At the same time, Mr Hancock sets up a Whatsapp group called “Crisis Management” with Mr Poole and Ms Coladangelo. They talk about Mr Shapps going out to bat for Mr Hancock in broadcast interviews, saying he was “probably the best person you could hope would be out this morning” other than Mr Johnson. The three of them discuss whether they broke any rules and Mr Hancock says that they “kissed before they legalised hugs”.
Damon Poole
From now the approach should be to say as little as possible, go over every rule they could push on as having been broken, and make sure nothing we/anyone says can come back to screw the position up. [25/06/2021, 06:35:46]
Matt Hancock
Yes [25/06/2021, 06:36:09]
Gina Coladangelo
Yes [25/06/2021, 06:36:17]
Damon Poole
Helpful if you can both think really hard about my second point re rules [25/06/2021, 06:36:39]
Matt Hancock
What date was the NED appointment? [25/06/2021, 06:37:07]
Gina Coladangelo
September 2020 [25/06/2021, 06:37:18]
Matt Hancock
Other than obviously the 1m+ I honestly can’t think of any [25/06/2021, 06:39:10]
Gina Coladangelo
Neither can I [25/06/2021, 06:40:16]
Matt Hancock
We went out for dinner on 17 May but that was with others & the day it was legalised [25/06/2021, 06:40:58]
Matt Hancock
The worst they can do is “kissed before they legalised hugs” [25/06/2021, 06:42:00]
Matt Hancock
We didn’t go anywhere that it wasn’t ok to as work colleagues [25/06/2021, 06:43:14]
They agree that Ms Coladangelo was paid her £15,000-a-year salary from Sept 2020, when she started work at the Department of Health as a nonexecutive director. Despite creating the group chat, Mr Hancock and Mr Poole continue to discuss the strategy in their one-to-one chat. Having planned a statement saying that no rules were broken the night before, Mr Hancock now asks his adviser what those rules were.
Damon Poole
What’s the precise date of the first encounter [25/06/2021, 08:24:45]
Matt Hancock
4 May [25/06/2021, 08:27:16]
Matt Hancock
What EXACTLY [25/06/2021, 08:45:24]
Matt Hancock
were the rules on 4 May [25/06/2021, 08:45:34]
Damon Poole
That’s what I’ve asked Allan to get [25/06/2021, 08:45:41]
Between the two conversations they monitor the reaction on social media, television and radio. Mr Poole notes that the “trickiest” reaction “so far” was a message from Paul Waugh, the chief political commentator at Huffpost.
Mr Waugh wrote: “Imagine if you’ve been literally banned by a govt from hugging your own grandchildren cos they are in ‘a different household’ and the health secretary has been hugging his lover from ‘a different household’.” At 9.13am Beth Rigby, Sky’s political editor, tweeted that Labour’s response was “Everyone entitled to a private life” but Ms Codangelo’s appointment, which involved taxpayers’ money, “needs to be looked into.”
Mr Hancock responded “Great – going on that not the proximity”.
Ms Rigby then messages Mr Poole with further questions about social distancing rules, which Mr Hancock says he doesn’t want to acknowledge breaking. Mr Poole sends a link about the law at the time, when Britain was Step 2, and Mr Hancock says that their affair was “arguably charitable”, which was one of the exemptions.
Damon Poole
What’s the answer to ‘there is footage of the health secretary breaking social distancing rules, what are you doing about it? [25/06/2021, 09:47:43]
Damon Poole
This is what we need to resolve [25/06/2021, 09:48:00]
Matt Hancock
Agree
[25/06/2021, 10:00:24]
Damon Poole
First option – acknowledge. *Spokesman for the Health Secretary:* “The Health Secretary acknowledges that he breached the social distancing rules and apologises for this lapse.” *Background* The Health Secretary won’t be resigning. [25/06/2021, 10:11:46]
Damon Poole
Step 2 regs, Exception 3 gatherings necessary for certain purposes (6) Exception 3 is that the gathering is reasonably necessary— (a) for work purposes or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services; [25/06/2021, 10:17:35]
Damon Poole
This is the key bit – gatherings with exemptions https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ uksi/2021/364/schedule/2 [25/06/2021, 10:17:47]
Matt Hancock
well it was voluntary and arguably charitable! [25/06/2021, 10:19:00]
Matt Hancock
I don’t think I can acknowledge that I broke the rules [25/06/2021, 10:19:13]
Matt Hancock
I think I just went against the clinical advice not the rules [25/06/2021, 10:19:39]
Matt Hancock
Can you get the Today transcript [25/06/2021, 10:20:24]
They begin preparing for “lobby”, the daily briefing for political journalists by the prime minister’s spokesman, due to take place at noon.
Mr Hancock says that his “steer” “emphatically” from Mr Johnson is that he should not admit to breaching any guidelines.
Mr Poole reminds his boss that social distancing was “clearly possible” in the picture of the encounter.
Matt Hancock
Lobby should in my view stick to no rules broken and total support for me [25/06/2021, 10:32:48]
Damon Poole
First option - acknowledge. *Spokesman for the Health Secretary:* “The Health Secretary acknowledges that he breached the social distancing guidance. He is deeply sorry for this lapse.” *Background* The Health Secretary won’t be resigning. [25/06/2021, 10:35:19]
Matt Hancock
Next [25/06/2021, 10:35:38]
Damon Poole
The other option is for max to go “Not commenting on personal matters, no rules were broken.” [25/06/2021, 10:36:14]
Damon Poole
I don’t think that holds [25/06/2021, 10:36:18]
Damon Poole
*Spokesman for the Health Secretary:* “The Health Secretary has not broken any rules but he acknowledges that he breached the social distancing guidance in this instance. He is deeply sorry for this lapse.” *Background* The Health Secretary won’t be resigning. [25/06/2021, 10:43:24]
Matt Hancock
But did I ? [25/06/2021, 10:46:32]
Matt Hancock
This is emphatically not the PM’S steer and is a very big call. [25/06/2021, 10:47:19]
Damon Poole
I’ve explained that to them [25/06/2021, 10:47:34]
Damon Poole
Next options [25/06/2021, 10:47:39]
Matt Hancock
I didn’t “breach guidelines”. I foloowed the guidance that people had to make their own judgements [25/06/2021, 10:48:06]
Matt Hancock
I need to find a clincian saying “personal responsibility” before 4 May [25/06/2021, 10:48:32]
Matt Hancock
You can make a choice about whether keep your distance but close contact, including hugging increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 [25/06/2021, 10:48:55]
Matt Hancock
PLEASE STAND THIS UP [25/06/2021, 10:49:00]
Damon Poole
*Social distancing for workers:* Objective Ensuring workers maintain social distancing guidelines wherever possible. These are 2 metres or 1 metre+ with risk mitigation where 2 metres is not viable. This includes when they arrive at and depart from work, while they’re in work, and when they travel between sites. You should maintain social distancing in the workplace wherever possible. You should take account of those with protected characteristics because social distancing may not be possible or will be more challenging for workers with certain disabilities. For example, workers in wheelchairs or with visual impairments. You should discuss with disabled workers what reasonable adjustments can be made to the workplace so they can work safely. When providing close contact services, social distancing will not usually be possible when actively serving a client because of the nature of the work. In these circumstances, employers and workers and the selfemployed should do everything they reasonably can to reduce risk. Social distancing applies to all parts of a business or home, not just the room where the service is delivered. For example, it also applies to waiting rooms, corridors and staircases. These are often the most challenging areas to maintain social distancing and you should remind workers specifically. [25/06/2021, 10:49:37]
Matt Hancock
“workers maintain social distancing guidelines wherever possible”
[25/06/2021, 10:50:25]
Damon Poole
Yes but it was possible [25/06/2021, 10:50:37]
Damon Poole
Clearly [25/06/2021, 10:50:42]
Damon Poole
From the picture [25/06/2021, 10:50:45]
Matt Hancock
yes [25/06/2021, 10:50:45]
Mr Poole suggests calling Mr Doyle. It is only during a Zoom call with his “boss”, Mr Johnson, that he suggests apologising for the first time.
Damon Poole
Do give jack a call so you can get his view direct? [25/06/2021, 10:51:58]
Matt Hancock
That’s the workers advice – what about the social advice? [25/06/2021, 10:52:04]
Damon Poole
I think it would be helpful for you to hear direct what his point is to me, to help make the ca [25/06/2021, 10:53:11]
Matt Hancock
On zoom with boss [25/06/2021, 10:53:57]
Matt Hancock
I could apologise for the whole thing – I have after all cheated on my wife [25/06/2021, 10:56:18]
Matt Hancock
I want to apologise to everyone who I’ve let down [25/06/2021, 10:58:01]
Damon Poole
No 10 really think need to apologise for breaching guidance
Matt Hancock | Health Secretary
How bad are the pics?
[24/06/2021, 22:18:22]
Damon Poole
It a snog and heavy petting.
[24/06/2021, 22:20:45]
Matt Hancock
How the f--- did anyone photograph that?
[24/06/2021, 22:22:23]
Damon Poole
F--- knows
[24/06/2021, 22:22:53]
Damon Poole
Did you snog her in the department
[24/06/2021, 22:23:27]
Matt Hancock
Yes
[24/06/2021, 22:23:58]
Damon Poole
Where abouts?
[24/06/2021, 22:24:15]
Matt Hancock
Office & balcony.
[24/06/2021, 22:25:03]
Damon Poole
Balcony
[24/06/2021, 22:25:14
Matt Hancock
Possibly
[24/06/2021, 22:25:22]
Matt Hancock
Actually I think not
[24/06/2021, 22:25:31
Damon Poole
Lots of places where you can see that
[24/06/2021, 22:25:34
Matt Hancock
But def office
[24/06/2021, 22:25:39]
[25/06/2021, 10:59:27]
Matt Hancock
But not the PM. I’m open to it but it’s a tough judgement [25/06/2021, 11:00:28]
Damon Poole
I think PM will have meant the personal stuff. I do really think worth you dropping off the zoom to give Jack a call. If we do it then no10 row in behind us immediately after, we are in good shape. *Spokesman for the Health Secretary:* “The Health Secretary has not broken any rules but he acknowledges that he breached the social distancing guidance in this instance. He deeply regrets and apologises for this.” *Background* The Health Secretary won’t be resigning. [25/06/2021, 11:01:30]
Mr Hancock was simultaneously making the same argument in the “Crisis Management” chat. Mr Doyle and Rosie Bate-williams, the PM’S press secretary, wanted Mr Hancock to admit that he broke the guidance. Mr Poole sends the briefing that the prime minister’s spokesman will give at lobby, which claims that “at a time” of the CCTV footage Mr Hancock was “publicising the Government advice on hugging” which was that people “made an informed choice”.
Damon Poole
Matt Hancock having an affair with closest aides and photo in a clinche – political future is in doubt? I think there has to be a difference between what people do in their in their job and how they do their job, which is what everybody should be judged for and what they do in their personal lives and I have no intention of commenting on any other colleagues or anyone else’s personal life that that’s for them and their themselves. The papers saying this happened in May. This was at a time when that Hancock himself as a Health Secretary was publicising the government advice on hugging he say if you meet with friends and family. You can make a choice about whether keep your distance but close contact, including hugging increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 As I say I can only stress the point I think people’s what happens in people’s personal lives and personal relationships is a matter for them and I don’t intend to go into a commenting on it. I say it is about the vaccine programme roll out the vaccine programme which has been tremendous, our ability to genome sequence and the rest of it – I have no plan to comment on people’s private life. This is not a purely private matter is it because the woman in question is was her appointment was had many questions raised about it that Matt Hancock was said to have secretly appointed her to his department as an unpaid adviser on a 6 month contract in March last year, which meant there are criticisms of a chair-mocracy. Well the I am not aware that – the only thing I know is that if you are appointed to a government position. I think in this case is a non-executive director decisions – That’s her job now, not the original job Right as I say, are the only I can tell you is from my own experience in government, which is a very strenuous system and then rest of it is for them. [25/06/2021, 10:36:31] Matt Hancock
You can make a choice about whether keep your distance but close contact, including hugging increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 [25/06/2021, 10:37:42]
Matt Hancock
Key sentence [25/06/2021, 10:37:45]
Matt Hancock
We made an informed choice [25/06/2021, 10:37:54]
Matt Hancock
So didn’t break rules [25/06/2021, 10:38:01]
Damon Poole
Yes [25/06/2021, 10:38:59]
Damon Poole
But I’m leaning towards acknowledging not adhering to guidance [25/06/2021, 10:39:15]
Damon Poole
With a pre lobby statement [25/06/2021, 10:39:20]
Damon Poole
That is Doyle and Rosie’s preference [25/06/2021, 10:39:28]
Mr Hancock was talking about personal choice at around the same time that he began his affair with Ms Coladangelo. But he had said that people had a personal choice from May 17, when the law changed and England moved into Step 3 of Covid regulations. On May 11 he was asked by Sky News if people could hug when the restrictions eased to allow groups of six people to meet indoors, and 30 to meet outdoors the following week, and replied that the Government would be “trusting people’s personal responsibility”. Mr Hancock appears to realise that there is a discrepancy in dates.
Matt Hancock
where did they get the bit from “make a choice about whether to keep your distance”? [25/06/2021, 10:51:43]
Damon Poole
I’m finding out [25/06/2021, 10:51:54]
Gina Coladangelo
This is factually accurate. The official date for unpaid advisor/ volunteer I am not 100% sure about. [25/06/2021, 10:52:04]
Matt Hancock
We can say “early 2020” [25/06/2021, 10:52:20]
Matt Hancock
Should I do a fast apology for letting everyone down / breaching guidance [25/06/2021, 11:01:33]
Gina Coladangelo
I am just reading through everything and think that is good idea [25/06/2021, 11:02:05]
Gina Coladangelo
Some articles clearly on our side – who doesn’t have a messy personal life etc [25/06/2021, 11:02:37]
Gina Coladangelo
But there is plenty of rumbling about rules [25/06/2021, 11:02:53]
Just after 11am Mr Hancock seems to have realised that he has to apologise, saying that he is “emotionally” up for it but before he commits wants to know the strength of the support No10 will publicly give him.
Damon Poole
Are you both completely 100% comfortable with there being no rules have been broken at the start [25/06/2021, 11:11:40]
Matt Hancock
Yes. Other than 1m+ [25/06/2021, 11:12:11]
Gina Coladangelo
Yes [25/06/2021, 11:13:00]
Damon Poole
Alternative, which is safer, in the knowledge that it’s what you say that comes back that is what does it for people in the end [25/06/2021, 11:13:33]
Damon Poole
*Spokesman for the Health Secretary:* “The Health Secretary acknowledges that he breached the social distancing advice in this instance. He deeply regrets this, recognises that he has let people down and apologises for it.” *Background* The Health Secretary won’t be resigning, and would be grateful for privacy for his family on this personal matter. [25/06/2021, 11:13:49]
Gina Coladangelo
Good point re rules – they could catch us out on some random car sharing rule or something [25/06/2021, 11:14:33]
Damon Poole
Exactly [25/06/2021, 11:14:39]
Matt Hancock
Truth is I have breached the 1m rule before when I patted an MP on the back on camera [25/06/2021, 11:15:26]
Matt Hancock
If I apologise what language will No10 use to back me? [25/06/2021, 11:16:13]
Damon Poole
I’m discussing that with them [25/06/2021, 11:16:42]
They go through 14 iterations of his statement over the course of the hour, with Ms Codangelo commenting that they need to make it more “real”. Mr Poole sends it out at 12.16pm. But the request for privacy did not stop the deluge of questions. They try to decide what guidance they will give to journalists on background, to shut down questions of law breaking. Mr Hancock eventually clears the release of a statement that insists they did not break the rules as “various” exemptions were in place.
Damon Poole
On breach of law [25/06/2021, 13:21:18]
Damon Poole
I think we deny [25/06/2021, 13:21:31]
Matt Hancock
yes [25/06/2021, 13:21:34]
Gina Coladangelo
Definitely [25/06/2021, 13:21:43]
Gina Coladangelo
[shares Twitter post – Contemptuous lobby briefing in which No 10 refuses to answer qs on whether Hancock broke the law or ministerial code] [25/06/2021, 13:31:40]
Gina Coladangelo
[shares Twitter post – No 10: “The Prime Minister has accepted the Health Secretary’s apology and considers the matter closed”.] [25/06/2021, 13:31:52]
Damon Poole
For guidance – apart from the social distancing guidance already addressed, we don’t accept any laws have been broken. [25/06/2021, 13:47:08]
Damon Poole
Thoughts on that [25/06/2021, 13:47:13]
Gina Coladangelo
I do not believe we broke any laws [25/06/2021, 13:47:54]
Matt Hancock
that was guidance not the law! [25/06/2021, 13:48:14]
Matt Hancock
So what’s wrong with No laws were broken [25/06/2021, 13:48:24]
Matt Hancock
Or [25/06/2021, 13:48:53]
Matt Hancock
There is no suggestion that any laws were broken. [25/06/2021, 13:49:02]
Matt Hancock
Mr Hancock has apologised for not following guidance in these circumstances. No laws were broken [25/06/2021, 13:49:27]
Matt Hancock
WE DIDN’T BREAK THE F------ LAW OK [25/06/2021, 13:49:44]
Damon Poole
Yeh that was shit wording from me [25/06/2021, 13:50:06]
Matt Hancock
ok [25/06/2021, 13:50:14]
Damon Poole
“Apart from” [25/06/2021, 13:50:15]
Damon Poole
It’s a seperate thing [25/06/2021, 13:50:23]
Damon Poole
*Guidance Only* No laws have been broken. [25/06/2021, 13:51:33]
Matt Hancock
Ah now that’s more like it! [25/06/2021, 13:51:49]
Damon Poole
*For Guidance Only* No laws have been broken. This meeting was covered under a relevant exemption re work purposes. [25/06/2021, 13:55:47]
Damon Poole
[Shares image of BBC coverage] [25/06/2021, 13:55:52]
Damon Poole
[Shares image of Sky coverage] [25/06/2021, 13:55:55]
Matt Hancock
Sky is good [25/06/2021, 13:56:08]
Matt Hancock
Great [25/06/2021, 13:56:32]
Matt Hancock
We did not break any of the rules with respect to where to meet up [25/06/2021, 13:56:51]
Matt Hancock
(In truth, we met either outside or in a workplace) [25/06/2021, 13:57:15]
Damon Poole
*For Guidance Only* No laws have been broken. There were various exemptions in place to rules at this time, including for attending work. [25/06/2021, 13:57:44]
Matt Hancock
cleared [25/06/2021, 13:58:06]
At 3.26pm Mr Poole turned on “disappearing messages” on their one-on-one conversation so that they were deleted 7 days after they were sent. In Crisis Management it is clear he is inundated with questions, including about the ministerial code. Mr Hancock responds privately to the questions, but does not address the issue of whether there relationship was “proper and appropriate” as required by the code.
Damon Poole
When did the affair affair with Gina Coladangelo start - and is it ongoing? 2. Was it declared in any way to officials at the Department of Health or No10 - when did the PM learn of the relationship? 3. The Ministerial Code states “Working relationships should be proper and appropriate.” It also reads “Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or appears to arise, between their public duties and their private interests.” How has Matt Hancock’s affair NOT breached that rule? 4. Exactly how did Ms Coladangelo secure her job as a non-elective Director of the Department of Health - did Mr Hancock intervene in the process in any way and was there an open competition? 5. Why did Mr Hancock say that Professor Neil Ferguson was right to resign from SAGE for a similar breaking of Lockdown guidance, yet he can stay in his job? ENDS [25/06/2021, 17:32:23]
Damon Poole
These are the questions we are printing in the paper tomoroew for Matt [25/06/2021, 17:32:36]
Damon Poole
The sun [25/06/2021, 17:32:36]
Matt Hancock
So [25/06/2021, 17:33:27]
Matt Hancock
Truth is: 1. Early May & yes 2. No & last night 3. No conflict arose 4. In the normal way 5. I broke no law - just guidance [25/06/2021, 17:34:56]
Matt Hancock
But I think we need a “no comment” [25/06/2021, 17:35:05]
As the public backlash grew, Mr Hancock and his parliamentary special adviser, Allan Nixon, separately tried to drum up support in the House of Commons. The first message of the day that Mr Hancock sends to his aide is a list of names including some of the Tory Party’s biggest hitters.
Matt Hancock
Priti Patel Jeremy Hunt Stephen Hammond Anthony Mangnall Stuart Anderson Mark Logan Michael Gove Gagan Mohindra Sarah Dines Alun Cairns Paul Bristow Paul Scully [25/06/2021, 14:06:46]
Allan Nixon
Didn’t want to mention on call but spoke to Perm Sec earlier about how the footage got into journo hands. He’s going to quietly look into it. Will obv come to nothing but they need to seriously look at who should be able to get their hands on this sort of stuff in future [25/06/2021, 14:18:33]
Matt Hancock
might be able to work it out [25/06/2021, 14:21:52]
Allan Nixon
Have these guys all offered to be helpful, or just given warm words? [25/06/2021, 14:28:27]
Matt Hancock
warm words [25/06/2021, 14:29:13]
Allan Nixon
My list: 1. Alun Cairns 2. David Morris 3. Stephen Hammond 4. Andrew Bowie 5. Trudy Harrison 6. Virginia Crosby 7. Steve Double 8. Nicola Richards [25/06/2021, 14:34:16]
Allan Nixon
Speaking to Damo about getting some to put anon quotes out [25/06/2021, 14:35:53]
Allan Nixon
Damian Andrew Bowie Greg Hands Liam Fox Steve Brine Robert Buckland Tracey Crouch Tobias Mark Fletcher Andrew Griffith (I don’t know him well enough to ask) Dehenna John Hayes [25/06/2021, 17:10:21]
Matt Hancock
Let’s try Bowie, Hands, Crouch, Dehanna [25/06/2021, 17:11:02]
Allan Nixon
Happy for me to call Hands? Or do you want to? [25/06/2021, 17:13:14]
Allan Nixon
Wonder if there’s merit in calling the ministerial team over the weekend (not least to ensure none of them do anything off piste)? [25/06/2021, 17:15:05]
Matt Hancock
Sure good idea [25/06/2021, 17:16:19]
Matt Hancock
You pls [25/06/2021, 17:16:23]
Allan Nixon
Tracey is calling me back. No answer from others [25/06/2021, 17:18:05]
Allan Nixon
Greg “Yeah, let me look at it” [25/06/2021, 17:30:57]
Matt Hancock
Should I call him? [25/06/2021, 17:31:14]
Allan Nixon
I wouldn’t yet. He’s in good shape and thinks your politically safe, but hasn’t paid attention to what’s been going on [25/06/2021, 17:31:41]
Allan Nixon
If we don’t see a tweet from him shortly, I’d text him and say “know you’ve spoken to allan. Thanks for your support” and see if you can then tease out a tweet [25/06/2021, 17:32:31]
Allan Nixon
Calling Tracey now. Then Bowie has tried me back too [25/06/2021, 17:33:14]
Matt Hancock
We will see shortly on the front page of Her Majesty’s Current Bun [24/06/2021, 22:26:00]
Matt Hancock
BTW this is a first offence and genuine [24/06/2021, 22:26:31]
Matt Hancock That won’t matter much tmrw but it will in the medium term [24/06/2021, 22:26:50]