THE under-fire Health Secretary was snapped snogging university pal Gina Coladangelo at the Department of Health HQ in London, with calls mounting for him to be sacked.
These are the pictures which have rocked the government today, as Matt Hancock was forced to admit breaking Covid guidelines.
This was despite government guidelines banning hugging to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Boris Johnson has accepted Mr Hancock’s apology despite widespread calls for the Tory Cabinet member to be sacked.
The images were reportedly taken on May 6 – at a time when randy Brits were being told to resist physical contact with people they did not live with.
Mr Hancock, 42, first met Ms Coladangelo at Oxford University in the early 2000s. She joined his team last year.
A whistleblower told The Sun the Health Secretary has been cheating on his wife of 15 years, Martha Hoyer Millar, as the UK continues to fight the Covid pandemic.
Responding to the pictures today, Mr Hancock said: “I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances. I have let people down and am very sorry. I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter.”
A spokesman for Mr Johnson said the prime minister had accepted Hancock’s apology and had full confidence in him.
“(He) considers the matter closed,” he said.
Although friends of the Health Secretary maintain he did not break any rules, it is clear as Mr Hancock and Ms Coladangelo locked lips that they were not keeping two metres apart, and neither were wearing masks.
Indoor meetings between people from different households or bubbles were banned, unless they were “reasonably necessary” for work until May 17.
Workplaces were advised to ensure that employees stuck to social distancing rules.
On May 16, Mr Hancock appeared on Sky’s Sophie Ridge on Sunday show, calling on people to hug outside and to be “careful”.
It was suggested that people should hug outside or in well-ventilated areas with their heads turned away from each other.
The pictures of the Health Secretary and Ms Coladanglo, published by The Sun, appear to show the pair ignoring this advice.
Mr Hancock told Ms Ridge: “We should all be careful, we all know the risks. Outside is safer than inside, so even though you can from tomorrow, meet up inside, it’s still better to meet up outside.
“Of course there are people who have been yearning to have some physical contact. You should do that carefully. If you’ve had both jabs more than two weeks ago, that’s much safer.”
He said he was looking forward to hugging his parents, but made no reference to his own alleged hugging inside the Department of Health.
Mr Hancock said: “I was asked on Tuesday and I said the thing I’m really looking forward to is hugging my Mum, she’s had two jabs.
– mirror.co.uk
