‘Third time lucky’ for critics of Hancock as he finally resigns

ALBA Party MP Neale Hanvey has called it third time lucky as Matt Hancock resigned in the wake of the latest in a string of scandals to hit the beleaguered Health Secretary – despite still having the backing of the Prime Minister over his recent infidelity and Covid rule breaking.

The Alba Party MP led calls for Mr Hancock’s resignation over his poor performance as far back as September 2020, asking him to consider his position and resign. At the time this was in response to the chaos engulfing the UK Government’s testing strategy, yet

Mr Hancock completely failed to address the matter when challenged by Hanvey in the Commons chamber.

Mr Hanvey again called for his resignation on May 27 this year, following allegations made by Dominic Cummings to the Health and Social Care select Committee that the Secretary of State had given a false commitment to ensure NHS patients would be tested before they were discharged to care homes.

Mr Hanvey said: “While it’s hardly surprising that, given his own chequered past, the PM had neither the guts nor gumption to sack Matt Hancock.

“For those of us who have lost a loved one during the pandemic Mr Hancock’s departure could not come quickly enough. Matt Hancock’s resignation counts for much more that his infidelity and related rule-breaking– he should have resigned for the catalogue of errors he and his department have presided over throughout the pandemic.

“From his unlawful conduct over procurement, his misplaced optimism and arrogance over dodgy Innova tests and his failure to protect care homes ... Sadly all these things will have contributed to deaths that were ultimately preventable, and for that he should have resigned and must remain accountable. Whomever his replacement is, they must be free from accusations of cronyism or unlawful conduct.”

Mr Johnson had refused to sack Mr Hancock, with his spokesman saying the PM considered the matter closed after receiving the West Suffolk MP’s apology on Friday. But yesterday Conservative MPs began to break ranks to call for Mr Hancock to go.

Veteran Tory Christopher Chope said his constituents were “seething”.

Norfolk Norfolk MP Duncan Baker said: “In my view, people in high public office and great positions of responsibility should act with the appropriate morals and ethics that come with that role.”

Esther McVey, MP for Tatton, earlier told GB News: “If it had been me, I would have resigned myself.”