Campaign group Led By Donkeys have taken a swipe at Matt Hancock with a series of new billboards.
One poster in Brighton displays a photograph of the former Health Secretary kissing his aide Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office in an apparent breach of coronavirus restrictions.
A quote written alongside the image reads: “If one person breaks the rules, we will all suffer.”
It also displays a parody version of the government’s coronavirus safety message “stay alert, protect the NHS, safe lives”, which has been edited to read, “stay alert, government hypocrisy, costs lives”.
Another read: “Look her in the eyes and give her a taxpayer-funded job” in reference to the position Coladangelo holds in government.
The former health secretary personally appointed Coladangelo to a paid role at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), with Labour pushing the government to publish all documents relating to the hire.
Resist > Government > Corruption pic.twitter.com/2Rj36rvVEn
— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) July 1, 2021
Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister Fleur Anderson said the “matter is far from closed” despite Mr Hancock’s resignation.
“The Government must publish all documents relating to the appointment of Gina Coladangelo,” she said.
“The role of a non-executive director is to challenge and scrutinise the minister. We need to know if the nature of their relationship was declared and whether the recruitment process was carried out in a fair and transparent way.”
— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) June 30, 2021
It remains unclear if their romantic relationship began before or after she was appointed to the department, or if this was ever declared as a conflict of interest.
But Justice Secretary Robert Buckland insisted the correct procedures were followed.
“Everything that I understand so far leads me to believe due process was followed in the appointment of this person and any declarations that should’ve been made were made,” he told Sky News.
The health department was yet to say whether Mrs Coladangelo remained in the role.
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