• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Hancock’s I’m A Celebrity stint took ‘courage’, says Blair

The Tory MP is returning to face questions about his political future in Westminster, but received some support from the former prime minister.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2022-11-29 07:26
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Sir Tony Blair has offered some support to former health secretary Matt Hancock as he returns from the I’m A Celebrity jungle, suggesting that the unorthodox move “took courage”.

The Tory MP is returning to face angry colleagues, constituents and questions about his political future in Westminster after coming third in the ITV show.

The West Suffolk MP surpassed the expectations of many by reaching the final but came behind the winner, Euro 2022 champion Jill Scott, and Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner in a public vote on Sunday night.

Suspended

His 21 days in the Australian jungle have seen him suspended from the Conservative parliamentary party and criticised by colleagues including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

But Sir Tony, who said that he had not been watching the popular TV show, had some supportive words for the former Cabinet minister.

“When you’ve been through the wringer as he has, and you know, as a politician who’s got to a certain level in politics, he’s probably got quite a lot of courage to go and do something like that,” he told The News Agents podcast.

“And I mean, people can attack him or whatever. But I always say this to (former Labour frontbencher) Ed Balls, who reinvented himself in this extraordinary way after leaving politics, and literally this is the most surprising thing I ever came across in terms of a post ministerial career.

“But, you know, it takes a lot of courage to go do something like that.

“I wished him well, from the outset. I worked with him a bit during the pandemic. And, you know, he was working hard, they were all working hard on it.”

RelatedPosts

George Osborne tells Grant Shapps Brexit is the reason ‘Britain is stagnating’

‘Is it April already?’ Lee Anderson promotion sends social media into a spin

Brexit was a ‘colossal mistake’, former PM Sir John Major tells committee

Lee Anderson made deputy chair of the Conservative Party

Had “a point”

The former Labour leader suggested that Hancock, who said entering the jungle would allow him to reach out to voters in a new way, might have had “a point”.

“I don’t think people’s political views are going to be changed one way or another.

“But I think the problem with politics nowadays is how do you communicate with people when you’re going into fragmented, media, social media, and when it’s quite difficult to get a message across to people who aren’t in your circle, because the way the media works today is essentially, it works by developing a constituency of people and essentially appealing to that constituency.

“And if you’re not careful, you don’t break out and go and talk to the people who disagree with you. So, I guess in that sense, he’s got a point. But it’s quite an extreme way of reaching the public.”

Earlier, Business Secretary Grant Shapps suggested that Hancock’s time on the show indicated he may have come to the conclusion his career in Westminster is “pretty much done”.

Grant Shapps

Shapps told Times Radio: “I do think … that his true position should have been in Parliament this last few weeks, and serving his constituents.

“You know, it’s often said that … politics is showbusiness for ugly people. He should be with us uglies back in the House rather than the jungle down under.”

Asked if that means Hancock should leave politics, he said: “I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to him about it but I suspect he may have already reached that conclusion.

“Why would you go off and spend all that time in the jungle if you were going to carry on in Parliament? I’m only speculating.

“But I do think the right place for him to be is in Parliament looking after his constituents. It’s a very hard job to do if you’re completely out of touch.

“And I think he may therefore have come to the conclusion that his parliamentary career is pretty much done.”

Related: New book reveals Liz Truss’s last words as PM… and they’re as bad as you’d expect

Content Protection by DMCA.com
Tags: Matt HancockTony Blair

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Study on Finances of Retired People Finds Average Pensioner has only £1,343 put away for Emergencies

‘Profoundly distressing and hurtful’: National Muslim Youth Leader condemns Batley Cartoon

Film Review: Borg vs McEnroe

New 2022 roaming fees kick in next month for UK travellers to the EU

What isn’t being reported about Julian Assange

Writing is the best medicine

Church to accept marriage involving transgender worshippers

England’s diverse Euros squad an ‘example of benefits of immigration’

A Dozen Summers : Film Review

Wetherspoon’s profits take a nosedive

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.