Matt Hancock: Why is ex-health secretary a controversial figure?

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock faced challenging questions from immoderate of his chap campmates during his archetypal quality connected ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Singer Boy George successful peculiar appeared uncomfortable with Mr Hancock's beingness successful the jungle.

The West Suffolk MP is not the archetypal person to springiness world TV a spell - but his determination to articulation the I'm A Celeb formed is 1 of the astir controversial.

Before this week, Mr Hancock was champion known to TV audiences for lasting down a podium astatine pandemic quality conferences, advising the nationalist to enactment astatine location and support the NHS.

But galore look to beryllium little acquainted with what helium is doing present and wherefore helium is nary longer a authorities minister.

The question "what did Matt Hancock bash wrong" is 1 of the astir fashionable hunt queries astir him online.

He admitted that this broke the government's ain societal distancing rules.

At the clip of the incident, indoor gatherings of 2 oregon much radical were not allowed, though determination was an exemption for enactment purposes. Critics pointed retired that galore had been incapable to hug friends and household astatine funerals due to the fact that they stuck to societal distancing guidance.

Following his resignation, Mr Hancock said helium understood the "enormous sacrifices" the nationalist had made during the pandemic and apologised for "letting radical down".

He was appointed wellness caput by Theresa May successful July 2018 aft serving arsenic civilization secretary.

When the Covid pandemic began, successful aboriginal 2020, helium had to pb the NHS's effect to the biggest peacetime exigency the UK has faced.

Many questions stay astir the decisions made by Mr Hancock and different authorities ministers - and whether much lives could person been saved. An inquiry scrutinising the handling of the pandemic has been launched.

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice radical suggested Mr Hancock should not beryllium appearing connected a world TV amusement portion the enquiry is taking place, saying: "If helium had immoderate respect for bereaved families, helium would beryllium sharing his backstage emails with the Covid Inquiry, not eating bugs connected TV."

In Wednesday's occurrence of I'm A Celebrity, vocalist Boy George said it was "difficult" to person Mr Hancock successful the jungle aft his parent had been successful infirmary during the pandemic.

"At the opening of the pandemic, my mum was successful hospital. I wasn't allowed to spot her. I thought she was going to die," helium told chap campmate Scarlette Douglas.

"I consciousness like, I don't privation to beryllium sitting present similar I'm having amusive with [Matt Hancock]. It's hard for maine because, you know, had thing happened, if my mum had [died], I wouldn't beryllium present now. I would person gone erstwhile helium walked in."

A spokesperson for Mr Hancock highlights the UK's vaccination programme arsenic an illustration of thing helium got right.

"Decisions were ever guided by the science, successful an effort to support the nationalist and to prevention arsenic galore lives arsenic possible," the spokesperson added.

Mr Hancock has said appearing connected I'm A Celebrity is an accidental to prosecute with the nationalist and rise consciousness astir his dyslexia campaign.

He told a chap contestant helium wanted to "peel myself backmost a bit" and amusement helium was a "human being".

But helium has been criticised by Parliamentary colleagues from each sides, including his own, for taking clip disconnected from serving his constituents and helium has been suspended arsenic a Conservative MP.