Hancock resignation UK government to investigate video leak
about 4 years in The Irish Times
Britain’s government will investigate how footage of former minister Matt Hancock kissing and embracing his aide found its way into the media and forced his resignation.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson accepted his decision to step down on Saturday after initially facing down calls for Mr Hancock to be sacked or resign after pictures were published of the health minister embracing a woman he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role.
Asked whether the health ministry was investigating how the pictures of Mr Hancock had been taken in his government office and leaked, Northern Ireland minister Brandon Lewis told Sky News: “It is a matter I know the department of health will be looking into to understand exactly how that recording . . . got out of the system.
“What Matt did was wrong, he acknowledged that, it’s why he apologised immediately for his behaviour and acknowledged what he did was wrong,” Mr Lewis said.
Since the pictures were published on Friday, an increasing number of his fellow Conservative lawmakers had privately called for Mr Hancock to go, saying his position was untenable after he admitted to breaking coronavirus restrictions.
Mr Johnson, who has faced down criticism of various scandals including the funding of refurbishment of his apartment in Downing Street, stood by his health minister initially. He accepted Hancock’s resignation on Saturday but suggested he might return to a higher public role.
He then swiftly appointed former finance minister Sajid Javid to the role.
Mr Johnson’s government has overseen one of the highest official death tolls from the pandemic and has been criticised for its early handling – led by Mr Hancock – of the coronavirus pandemic that was characterised by missteps.
A report by the BBC on Sunday that sensitive documents from the Ministry of Defence were found by a member of the public at a bus stop did little to dispel a feeling of chaos in government.