It’s Matt to Martha as Hancock’s wife urged to stand for MP’s seat
MATT Hancock’s estranged wife Martha is being urged to stand for his seat when he steps down at the next General Election.
The former Health Secretary’s wife has kept a low profile after her husband was caught on camera kissing his aide during the pandemic. But the mother of three is said to be active in local politics and has won support among local Conservatives.
Tory party figures are encouraging her to stand after Mr Hancock announced that he will step down. He is sitting as an independent after the Tory whip was withdrawn when he announced that he was appearing on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
A Conservative source said: ‘People think she could stand. She is being encouraged to put herself forward.’
Earlier this year, broadcaster Jenni Murray wrote of Martha Hancock in Saga Magazine: ‘She is greatly admired in her husband’s constituency of West Suffolk, where she has long been responsible for local networking while he’s been busy with other matters. ‘Here’s my advice to Mrs Hancock: foster those supporters, stand for Parliament and replace him as MP. It’s time some of these dishonourable males, raised in the boys’ clubs of privilege, took more care of their family values.’
Mrs Hancock, an osteopath, married the former Health Secretary after they met as students at Oxford University. They have two sons and a daughter.
Mrs Hancock is said to have believed her marriage was ‘happy and stable’ until her husband revealed he was in love with his aide Gina Coladangelo.
West Suffolk Tory councillor Ian Houlder said: ‘She would have to throw her hat into the ring with the other applicants. She may get through on a sympathy vote, but people should go into politics for the right reasons.’
About the former Health Secretary, he said: ‘I think Matt Hancock should go now rather than wait for two years.’