UK Health Secretary Quits after Breaking Social Distance Guidance

Tobi Soniyi

Following pressure on him to quit, United Kingdom Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday resigned his appointment after he breached social distancing guidance by kissing a colleague.

In a letter to the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he said the government “owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down”.
In a video posted on Twitter, Hancock said: “I have been to see the prime minister to resign as secretary of state for health and social care.

“I understand the enormous sacrifices that everybody in this country has made, that you have made, and those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that’s why I have got to resign.”

In his resignation letter, Hancock, who served as health secretary for three years, reiterated his apology for “breaking the guidance” and he apologised to his family and loved ones for “putting them through this”.

The prime minister said he was “sorry” to receive the resignation.
He has appointed former chancellor Sajid Javid as the new health secretary.
Javid had earlier served as home secretary.
He resigned his appointment as Chancellor in February 2020, weeks before the budget after rejecting the prime minister’s order to fire his team of aides.
The Sun had published pictures of Hancock and Gina Coladangelo, who are both married with three children, kissing.

The newspaper said the pictures had been taken inside the Department of Health on 6 May.
Also yesterday Coladangelo, seen in kissing video, also announced she was leaving the Department of Health and Social Care.

Following the publication, Hancock came under increasing pressure to quit.
Fellow Tory MPs, as well as Labour and the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, had called for the health secretary to be sacked.

Many expected the prime minister to kick him out of the cabinet. But Johnson did no such thing.
Responding to Hancock’s resignation, the the prime minister said Mr Hancock “should leave office very proud of what you have achieved – not just in tackling the pandemic, but even before Covid-19 struck us.

“I am grateful for your support and believe that your contribution to public service is far from over.”
Concerns had also been raised about the process which saw Ms Coladangelo, a friend of Mr Hancock’s from their days at Oxford University, appointed to the role – last September.
However, Downing Street defended her appointment saying due process was followed.