Labour demands investigation into Hancock breaching ministerial code

Labour’s deputy leader and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Angela Rayner has demanded an investigation into Matt Hancock breaching the ministerial code.

After it was revealed that Hancock has had an affair with a personal friend who was hired as an unpaid aide then as a non-executive departmental director, Boris Johnson said he considered the matter “closed”.

But Rayner has written to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and the independent adviser on ministers’ interests Lord Geidt to urge an investigation into breaches of the ministerial code.

More than half – 58% – of UK adults think that Hancock should resign in light of his secret affair and 25% think he should not quit following the revelations, according to a snap poll from Savanta ComRes.

Below is the full text of Angela Rayner’s letter.

Dear Prime Minister

Cc: Lord Geidt, Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests; Simon Case, Cabinet Secretary

I am writing to you regarding the Health Secretary. As you know, he has already been found to have breached the Ministerial Code regarding a company that he part-owns with his sister and was awarded NHS approved supplier status. Earlier this week I wrote to you regarding a potential further breach of the Ministerial Code when he promoted a private healthcare company without declaring that the company’s shareholders had made financial donations both to himself personally and to the Conservative Party.

News reports today suggest that he has now failed to declare that he was engaged in a relationship with someone who he personally appointed at taxpayers’ expense to serve as an adviser, and subsequently a non-executive director, at the Department of Health and Social Care.

Such a failure would appear to be a further breach of the Ministerial Code, which in these circumstances should surely result in his removal from office.

If you are not prepared to act on your own initiative as Prime Minister, I would urge you to instruct your Independent Adviser to immediately investigate the Health Secretary’s conduct and his apparent breach of the Ministerial Code. Any documents, correspondence and the findings of this investigation should be published in full.

Given the public interest in this matter I will be making this letter public.

Yours Sincerely

Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster