Matt Hancock’s I’m a Celebrity deal ‘cashes in on Covid misery’ – latest

Jump to contentSign up to our newslettersSubscribeNewsSportsVoicesCultureLifestyleTravelPremiumCloseMatt Hancock has Tory whip suspended after joining I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Matt Hancock has been accused of ‘trying to cash in on his terrible legacy’ as health secretary during the pandemic by appearing on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign said: ‘Matt Hancock isn’t a ‘celebrity’, he’s the former health secretary who oversaw the UK having one of the highest death tolls in the world from Covid-19 whilst breaking his own lockdown rules.’Mr Hancock’s ailing public image has suffered greatly in the few hours since it emerged he would appear on the hit ITV reality programme: he has been sternly rebuked by the prime minister, suspended from the Tory party and mocked by his constituency association.A spokesperson for Rishi Sunak, who declined to give the former health secretary a role in his government, said: ‘The PM believes that at a challenging time for the country, MPs should be working hard for their constituents in the House or in their constituencies.’The spokesperson said it was unlikely Mr Sunak would watch his former colleague on the programme.1667315396The government will establish a taskforce to defend Britain’s democratic institutions, security minister Tom Tugendhat said.Mr Tugendhat said Rishi Sunak asked him to lead an initiative to ‘drive forward work to defend the democratic integrity of our country’ with a review of threats facing public and private security.A range of actors are ‘trying to weaken us, to challenge us and to exploit us’, he told MPs in the Commons.’The evidence of this is clear and sadly indisputable: dictatorships are trying to write the new rules for a new world.’He added: ‘The advanced technologies our rivals have spent time and money developing have levelled the field and made us more vulnerable.’Britain has been on the front line of the defence of liberty for generations; our agencies, and businesses have faced the reality of this danger for decades.’Tugendhat makes a statement in Commons todayLiam James1 November 2022 15:091667314307Senior Labour MP Chris Bryant has said he stands by his claim that he saw Tory MPs being bullied into voting for the government in a controversial Commons vote on fracking.The Speaker said today an investigation by senior parliamentary officials has found no evidence of bullying.However, Mr Bryant, who chairs the Commons Standards Committee and who was among the MPs to make the original allegations, told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One: ‘I am not challenging the ruling of the Speaker but I know what I saw and I am not withdrawing a single word.’It may be that some people feel that they weren’t bullied but I saw intimidatory behaviour.’If you have 15 or 12 MPs standing round one MP effectively, to my mind, kettling them, that is intimidatory behaviour and it will be seen as bullying in any other line of work.’Mr Bryant defended his decision to post photographs of what took place on social media in breach of Commons rules.’I knew that I was breaking the rules. I have apologised to the House for breaking the rules. I thought sometimes you have to break a rule if you see a greater injustice being done. We are trying to change the culture in Parliament,’ he said.Liam James1 November 2022 14:511667313421In other news, a global fund for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria victims has been plunged into disarray after the Foreign Office broke a promise to make a crucial donation.Rob Merrick, our deputy political editor, reports:’This sends a message that Britain’s leadership in dealing with the biggest crises of our age is dwindling’ Zoe Tidman1 November 2022 14:371667312302Matt Hancock is but the latest politician to bet their fading star on the jungle.He follows fellow Tories Nadine Dorries (2012 series), Edwina Currie (2011), Stanley Johnson (2017), former Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik (2010), former Labour MP Robert Kilroy-Silk (2008) and former Scottish Labour Leader Kezia Dugdale (2017).Connie Evans goes through their trials and tribulations at the hands of ITV directors:Matt Hancock is set to follow in the footsteps of Edwina Currie, Stanley Johnson and Nadine DorriesLiam James1 November 2022 14:181667311222Boris Johnson has taken a public speaking gig at a digital technology conference.The International Symposium on Blockchain Advancements (2 December in Singapore) lists the former prime minister as a keynote speaker alongside former US vice president Dick Cheney.Mr Johnson had been expected to follow other ex-world leaders onto the lucrative public speaking circuit, where big political names can expect to earn hundreds of thousands of pounds for a single talk.Liam James1 November 2022 14:001667310082Campaign groups say there is now an ‘overwhelming case’ for the government to expand windfall taxes on fossil fuel companies after Shell and BP saw their profits double as oil and gas prices continue to soar (Harry Cockburn writes).Over the last quarter, Shell made £8bn in profits in the past three months, while BP revealed on Tuesday it had made £7.1bn over the same period – up from £2.9bn for the same period last year.A 25 per cent windfall tax was introduced by Rishi Sunak when he was still chancellor in May. Known as the ‘energy profits levy’, it applies only to profits made from extracting UK oil and gas. However, it also incentivises further investment in the extraction of fossil fuels, by allowing firms to apply for tax savings worth 91p of every £1 invested in new drilling efforts.But Shell has said it does not expect to pay any extra tax as a result as its investments in UK drilling mean it hasn’t made a net profit. BP has said it expects to pay just £800m.Polluting fossil fuel firms’ bumper bottom lines are ‘slap in the face’ for people facing soaring bills, campaigners sayLiam James1 November 2022 13:411667309002The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign accused Mr Hancock of ‘trying to cash in on his terrible legacy’ by appearing on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’Matt Hancock isn’t a ‘celebrity’, he’s the former health secretary who oversaw the UK having one of the highest death tolls in the world from Covid-19 whilst breaking his own lockdown rules,’ said spokesperson Lobby Akinnola.Mr Hancock was health secretary for the first year of the coronavirus pandemic during which time the government was criticised for being too slow to enforce restrictions, lifting them too early and confusing communications over rules.Ian Houlder, a Conservative councillor on West Suffolk Council, said Mr Hancock, his local MP, had ‘no shame’.He said of Mr Hancock, who has been stripped of the Tory whip for the reality TV deal: ‘It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he goes back on bended knee to whoever’s in charge of the Conservative Party after his book comes out or whatever in the winter … because he’s thick-skinned, he’s got no shame at all.’He went on: ‘Everybody knows what he did during the Covid pandemic and he seems to want to rehabilitate himself all the time in the public eye.’Mr Hancock has yet to declare how much he will make from his time in the jungle. Nadine Dorries, who herself lost the Tory whip when she appeared on the ITV programme in 2012, made £83,000.Liam James1 November 2022 13:231667307862A parliamentary investigation has found ‘no evidence’ that MPs were bullied during last month’s chaotic Commons vote on fracking, the Speaker has said (Jon Stone writes).Government whips and other ministers were at the time accused of ‘manhandling’ other MPs to force them to vote with the government – contributing to the sense of chaos that saw Liz Truss resign as prime minister the next day.But in a statement to the Commons on Tuesday 1 November Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said an official investigation had found that despite a ‘tense’ atmosphere, there was ‘no evidence any bullying or undue influence placed on other members’.Government MPs were accused of ‘manhandling’ colleagues in chaotic scenes hours before Liz Truss resignation Liam James1 November 2022 13:041667306722Responding to Matt Hancock’s deal to join I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, said: ‘Oh to have a job where you can decide for yourself you’re taking a month off, abandon your work and responsibilities, get paid shedloads and face little consequence.”I’m sure he’ll be an inspiration to other public servants,’ Mr Penman, who leads the union representing civil servants, added.Mr Hancock has been suspended from the parliamentary Conservative party for agreeing to enter the Australian jungle on the hit reality show.The response to the announcement of the former health secretary’s decision has been split between anger and teasing.Andy Drummond, deputy political chair of Mr Hancock’s local Conservative Association in West Suffolk, told PA: ‘I’m looking forward to him eating a kangaroo’s penis. ‘Quote me. You can quote me that.’ Liam James1 November 2022 12:451667305452Rishi Sunak has made clear his disapproval of Matt Hancock’s decision to take time away from parliament to appear on TV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here (Andrew Woodcock writes).Mr Hancock did not inform the PM of his intention to appear on the show ahead of his announcement as a contestant earlier today.He immediately had the Conservative whip withdrawn, and must now sit in the Commons as an independent.The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: ‘The PM believes that at a challenging time for the country, MPs should be working hard for their constituents in the House or in their constituencies.’The public when they elect their MPs, expect them to work hard for their constituency.’MPs ‘should be working hard for constituents’: PM signals disapproval of TV booking Liam James1 November 2022 12:24Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inRegistration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inSuella BravermanRobert JenrickMatt HancockRishi SunakPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in