UK Health Secretary, Hancock Resigns After Breaking Covid Rules By Kissing Aide

Related stories

Edwin Cortes: Prefers Being A Small Puerto Rican Than Big American

By Owei Lakemfa To be a citizen of the United...

June 12 And The International Pursuit of Justice For Abiola, By Femi Falana

The June 12, 1993, pro-democracy struggle in Nigeria is...

Breaking Down the West’s $146 Billion 2024 Defence Technology Investment

Advanced technologies like drones, sensors, and even artificial intelligence...

G7 vs. the World: GDP, Population, and Military Strength

Key Takeaways G7 countries represent 28.4% of global GDP...

US drillers cut oil and gas rigs for 10th week in a row, Baker Hughes says

U.S. energy firms this week cut the number of...
  • Javid Savid Named New Health Secretary

British Health Minister Matt Hancock has resigned, a day after he was widely condemned by britons for breaking social distancing rules by kissing an aide.

The 42-year-old handed his resignation to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday after The Sun tabloid published photos of the married minister embracing a woman who he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role to scrutinise the performance of his department.

The pictures that enraged the public and politicians were taken on May 6 – 11 days before lockdown rules were eased to allow hugs and other physical contact with people outside one’s own household.

Hancock has been at the centre of the government’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic, routinely appearing on television and radio to tell people to follow the strict rules to contain the virus.

Meanwhile, Sajid Javid has been named Britain’s new health secretary after Matt Hancock was forced to resign on Saturday.

“The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care,” a short press release from the government read on Saturday.

Javid, the former chancellor of the exchequer and home secretary, said he was “honoured” by the appointment.

Johnson had said on Friday he had accepted an apology from Hancock and considered the matter to be closed, but the latter had faced rising pressure to step down.

“We owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down as I have done by breaching the guidance,” Hancock said in his resignation letter.

Johnson said in reply that he was sorry to receive it.

“You should be immensely proud of your service,” he wrote. “I am grateful for your support and believe that your contribution to public service is far from over.”

The main opposition Labour Party also questioned whether he had broken the ministerial code: the woman, a longtime friend of Hancock’s, was appointed as a non-executive director, on a taxpayer-funded salary, to oversee the running of his ministry.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Twitter that Hancock was right to resign. “But Boris Johnson should have sacked him,” he added.

With 128,000 deaths, the United Kingdom has one of the highest official death tolls from COVID-19 in the world and Hancock, in the post for almost three years, had been heavily criticised for his initial handling of the pandemic.

However, Johnson’s Conservative government has been boosted by a rapid rollout of the vaccine programme, with 84 percent of adults having one dose and 61 percent having both, well ahead of most other countries.

The New Diplomat
The New Diplomat
'Dotun Akintomide's journalism works intersect business, environment, politics and developmental issues. Among a number of local and international publications, his work has appeared in the New York Times. He's a winner of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award. Currently, the Online Editor at The New Diplomat, Akintomide has produced reports that uniquely spoke to Nigeria's experience on Climate Change issues. When Akintomide is not writing, volunteering or working on a media project, you can find him seeing beautiful sites like the sandy beaches that bedecked the Lagos coastline.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Edwin Cortes: Prefers Being A Small Puerto Rican Than Big AmericanJune 12 And The International Pursuit of Justice For Abiola, By Femi FalanaBreaking Down the West’s $146 Billion 2024 Defence Technology InvestmentG7 vs. the World: GDP, Population, and Military StrengthUS drillers cut oil and gas rigs for 10th week in a row, Baker Hughes saysExclusive! Tinubu Tips Late Ajimobi's Wife, Florence, Others for Ambassadorial PostsTinubu Mourns, Pays Tribute to Legendary Super Eagles Goalkeeper Peter RufaiNatasha vs Akpabio: Court Orders Senate President To Recall Senator NatashaHadi Sirika Denies Defection to ADC Coalition Rumors, Reaffirms Loyalty to Buhari, APCChina Snubs U.S. Crude for Third Month, Even as Ethane Trade RestartsHow Super Eagles Icon Peter Rufai passed Away at 61Dakuku Peterside’s Beneath the Surface Book Out in OctoberOil Prices Dip on Confirmation of Inventory BuildBuhari In Stable Condition - Ex-Aide ConfirmsBREAKING: Ex-President Buhari sick, hospitalised abroad
X whatsapp