British Health Secretary Matt Hancock Caught Red Handed
Matt Hancock refused to resign today but admitted he ‘let people down’ and apologised for flouting social distancing rules after he was caught on CCTV kissing his most senior aide in the corridor outside his Whitehall office.
The Health Secretary, 42, failed to deny claims of a secret long-term affair after extraordinary images revealed his passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, where he was filmed rubbing her back and bottom.
In an extraordinary statement he did not mention his wife of 15 years Martha, who was pictured looking heartbroken while walking the family dog near their north London home today, only saying he wanted ‘privacy for my family on this personal matter’.
As Mr Hancock fights for his political life, No 10 is said to be holding crisis talks about his future but one source claimed that Mr Hancock still hopes to survive despite Labour and the Liberal Democrats branding him a ‘hypocrite’ who should be fired.
But Mr Hancock appears to be clinging on to his job, and 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’.
Downing Street is yet to comment as some questioned whether Boris Johnson will sack his Health Secretary given his own chequered love life, especially after his own alleged four-year affair with American pole-dancing businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri, who he employed as an advisor while Mayor of London.
Mr Hancock’s kiss with Ms Coladangelo is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health’s headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year – the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.
Mr Hancock is said to have checked the corridor is clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace. The Sun claims they have been having an affair that has been the talk of the department – but it is not known if they remain in a relationship that was a secret until today.
Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, 44, and the couple have three children together. Mrs Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple’s home in north London this morning but didn’t speak to reporters about her husband’s alleged infidelity. Her husband was nowhere to be seen, however, she was still wearing her wedding ring.
Communications director and lobbyist Mrs Coladangelo is a mother-of-three, whose husband Oliver Tress is the founder of clothing shop Oliver Bonas. The shutters were closed at their £4.5million South London home this morning. She has been working as an advisor for Mr Hancock with one source saying: ‘Before Matt does anything big, he’ll speak to Gina’. Mrs Coladangelo is friends with Matt Hancock’s wife on Facebook and they have spent time together socially.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for the Health Secretary, who is in hiding, but a friend of Mr Hancock said: ‘He has no comment on personal matters. No rules have been broken.’
A Department of Health probe into how the footage from outside Mr Hancock’s office was leaked is expected, with the whistleblower described as a former civil servant who was angry about his ‘brazen’ affair, adding: ‘They have tried to keep it a secret but everyone knows what goes on inside a building like that’.
Matt Hancock was meant to be at Newmarket Racecourse to visit the vaccination centre, who said today ‘he won’t be coming’ and revealed he cancelled ‘early this morning’.
