UK PM under fire for refusal to sack cheating Health Secretary
UK Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, who has already been accused of corruption and mishandling of the pandemic in the UK, is now under fire for his refusal to sacked disgraced former Health Secretary, Matthew J. D. Hancock for breaking COVID-19 guidelines as soon as pictures emerged of him kissing an aide.
Hancock stepped down on Saturday, June 26, 2021, following revelations about his breaking social distancing while having an extramarital affair with an aide, who had also been appointed a non-executive director at Mr Hancock's department and was meant to scrutinise him.
Labour Leader Sir Keir R. Starmer raised the case of a family who had not been allowed to spend time with their dying son because they had followed COVID rules.
UK Gov't showing that they do not follow rules - Sir Starmer
Sir Stramer said by not sacking Mr Hancock, the PM had shown it was "one rule for them, another rule for everybody else".
Mr Johnson then replied and told Sir Keir, "We had a new health secretary in place by Saturday.
Mr Hancock resigned on Saturday evening, saying, "Those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that's why I have got to resign."
At the time, Mr Johnson said he was “sorry" to receive the resignation, the BBC reported.
Asked at Prime Minister's questions by Sir Keir why he had not sacked Mr Hancock, the embattled UK MP Mr Johnson said, "I read the story in common with you and everyone else on Friday and we had a new health secretary in place by Saturday, which I think that, given that we have a pandemic, I think to move from one health secretary to the next with that speed was fast.”
"But it wasn't as fast as the vaccine rollout, which is now going so fast that in this country we've done half the under-30s."
'Ridiculous answer' -Sir Keir
According to the BBC, Sir Keir’s response was that it was a "ridiculous answer" given by Johnson and accused him of trying to "take the credit" for Mr Hancock's resignation, when he had backed the former health secretary on Friday, with the PM's spokesman saying the matter was "closed".
"In a minute he'll be telling us he scored the winner last night," added the Labour leader.
Hancock facing calls to quit as MP
Meanwhile, Mr Hancock is facing calls to quit as an MP and threats of deselection from his own local party following the revelations that saw him leave government.
The former health secretary is facing a revolt from senior Conservatives in his Suffolk constituency that could see him ousted from parliament altogether.
Ian Houlder, a Tory councillor on West Suffolk council, said he had written to his local Conservative association chair about Mr Hancock's conduct, which he found "really contemptible".
"There he is, just groping away, hands everywhere, tongues everywhere, out of his bubble.”
Mr Houlder added: “I think there should probably be a by-election. I don’t think he should cling on, hoping that people’s memories fade.”
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15 Responses to “UK PM under fire for refusal to sack cheating Health Secretary”
I can’t think of one.
Do you fire someone for a personal indiscretion?
It’s not a matter of the man cheating it’s a problem because he’s the one that played a part in creating the rules to which people in Britain have been on the streets protesting against.
People can’t see their dying relatives while that man gets to kiss whoever he wanted to.
now you living in your house you can now call the shots; come home as you wish. come home drunk
this world is real and united kingdom still have some margin of control over her overseas territory
the best goes on
so the british & KKK are brothers and sisters
what ah story!!!!