Sack Hancock, no double standards
Images leaked by a source to the Sun show Matt Hancock conducting an affair with senior aide Gina Coladangelo. Both are married with children, and have a friendship going back to their Oxford days, with Hancock meeting wife Martha Millar there.
In the midst of a pandemic, the Health Secretary broke social distancing rules to conduct an affair in his office. The first news said that the Health Secretary would decline to comment on personal matters. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended him and said it was not linked to his public role. The appointment of Gina Coladangelo is also skewed, as she was paid a £15,000 salary from the taxpayer but her role was not known to the public. Later today, Matt Hancock has apologised for his actions, and PM Boris Johnson has 'accepted the apology' and 'considers the matter closed'.
There is no accountability, no punishment for what has happened. If I was to break social distancing rules, I would be fined accordingly, The rules are made by the government and Matt Hancock as Health Secretary. Should he not be bound to them as equally as me, if not more?
When will this politics of double standards end? We had this drama with Dominic Cummings (who totally leaked the images to the Sun, come on) and nothing changed, with the PM sticking by him.
I am a big believer in rules because ultimately they exist to protect us. I love politics because it concerns every topic imaginable and is all about how society functions. But watching this play out, how Hancock walks away unscathed, how Cummings travelled to Barnard Castle 'for a test' - it's clear the government thinks of us; we're nothing but the 'stupid public'.
MInisters break rules and there are no repercussions. So why should I follow the government's rules?
I am sick and tired of the double standards, one rule for them and another for us. I saw the news and knew Hancock would not do the decent thing and resign. Hancock has literally gone against his own advice to the UK, to pursue his own interests and spread the virus.
This is why people are disillusioned with politics. I never understood why people couldn't connect with it, but the pandemic and the way government advisers and ministers have behaved has shown me exactly why there is a dying faith in British politics.
Look at the state of it. It's apparently ok for government members to break the rules that are imposed on us. I believe COVID is dangerous and spreading, but clearly Hancock doesn't care about his actions increasing the number of cases. And this isn't the first issue with him, remember the contract he gave to his sister's firm? That was a conflict of interest not declared, and I'm supposed to believe this was innocent mistake, not a part of his 'chumocracy'?
Hancock should be sacked. If he was in any other job, he would be. The government is supposed to lead by example and be accountable. There is no accountability here, and without accountability, we give the government a free pass to do whatever they please.
This is a democracy and the UK voted these people in. Now it's our job to demand action and consequences for Hancock's actions.
*All rights reserved for the image, from the Times
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