Hancock ‘changed ministerial response’ to deny that he took lover to private dinners
Then health secretary said ‘zero’ when queried about cost to taxpayer of Gina Coladangelo’s attendance
MATT HANCOCK took his mistress to private dinners with his US counterpart – and then later had a ministerial response altered to remove the suggestion he had invited her.
Gina Coladangelo, Mr Hancock’s lover, attended two evening meals as the health secretary’s guest at a G7 summit of health ministers held in Oxford.
Ms Coladangelo, an old university friend of Mr Hancock’s, had been appointed a non-executive director of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in September 2020, eight months before their affair began in early May 2021.
WhatsApp messages show that Ms Coladangelo was invited to two dinners as Mr Hancock’s guest with Xavier Becerra, the US secretary of state for health, on June 3 and June 4 held at Mansfield College, Oxford University. Mr Hancock’s wife was not invited.
But after Mr Hancock was forced to resign over his affair, he was still able to exert influence to change a ministerial response over Ms Coladangelo’s attendance.
The Lockdown Files – more than 100,000 messages exchanged between ministers, officials and others – show how a parliamentary answer was changed after interference from Mr Hancock and Allan Nixon, his former political adviser.
Ben Bradshaw, the Labour MP, had asked in a parliamentary question “what role” Ms Coladangelo “played in the G7 health ministers’ meeting in June 2021”.
The “suggested reply” – written in July 2021 following Mr Hancock’s resignation over the affair – originally stated: “Gina Coladangelo attended the G7 health ministers’ meeting at the request of the previous secretary of state, for the Department of Health and Social Care.”
The draft response was forwarded to Mr Hancock by Mr Nixon, who had stayed on in the department to help Sajid Javid, the incoming minister. He appears to have crossed out with a ball point pen the response and instead written over it: “Gina Coladangelo played an advisory role to the secretary of state at the G7 meeting.”
Mr Hancock suggested a further, watered-down version: “Gina Coladangelo attended the G7 in her role as a non-executive director of DHSC.”
When the final response was published on Oct 28 2021, it had been altered again and stated: “Gina Coladangelo attended the G7 health ministers’ meeting as a part of the UK delegation.”
Any reference to Mr Hancock had been erased from the final response given in a written answer to Mr Bradshaw’s question first submitted three months earlier in July 2021.
Mr Bradshaw had also asked about the cost to the public purse of her travel, subsistence and other expenses claimed by Ms Coladangelo. Mr Hancock had wanted that response to be “zero” but was overruled by Sir Chris Wormald, the department’s permanent secretary.
The messages contained in The Lockdown Files emerged in WhatsApp messages between Mr Hancock and Mr Nixon, exchanged on Sept 10 2021.
Mr Nixon sent an initial message: “Quiet heads up on this. Shout if any issues” and attached with it a photograph of Mr Bradshaw’s parliamentary question with the original draft response.
Mr Hancock responded: “Are you sure that’s the right response?” and included his own suggested reply.
He then went on: “Also on the second question why not say “zero”?” in reference to Mr Bradshaw’s query about the cost to the taxpayer of Ms Coladangelo’s attendance.
Mr Nixon said: “I’ve tried that. Perm sec not allowing.” Mr Hancock urged his former aide to try again on the response given to the cost.
“Well it’s true so can you push back. It won’t be the Perm Sec but his office,” wrote Mr Hancock, adding: “(This will be another s--- show if it goes wrong).”
Mr Nixon then messaged to say “leave with me” and Mr Hancock replied: “Happy to call Wormald if needs be,” adding: “(And your draft 100x better than the suggested!)” Mr Nixon then promised: “Will see if I can strengthen further”.