• 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

Matt Hancock to stand down as Tory MP at next election

He told Rishi Sunak that he had discovered new ways of connecting with the public and urged his party to “reconnect” with people.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2022-12-07 15:08
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Former health secretary and I’m A Celebrity… campmate Matt Hancock will not stand for the Conservatives at the next general election.

The ex-Tory MP returned to Westminster last week from Australia following his controversial spell on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!

Mr Hancock was stripped of the Conservative whip after it emerged he was joining the reality TV show, prompting speculation about his political future and whether he would stand again at the next general election in around two years time.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, he told Rishi Sunak: “It has been an honour to serve in Parliament and represent the people of West Suffolk.

“I will play my part in the debate about the future of our country and engage with the public in new ways.”

In the letter, Mr Hancock said that the Conservative Chief Whip had told him that the whip would be restored “in due course”.

My letter to the Prime Minister 👇

I look forward to exploring new ways to communicate with people of all ages and from all backgrounds pic.twitter.com/PPvWB6McyM

— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) December 7, 2022

But the MP said that would be “now not necessary” and that he wants to “do things differently”.

He said that he was “incredibly proud” of the Conservatives’ achievements in government but told Mr Sunak that he had discovered new ways of connecting with the public and urged his party to “reconnect” with people.

“Reconnect” with people

“There was a time when I thought the only way to influence the public debate was in Parliament, but I’ve realised there’s far more to it than that.

RelatedPosts

Farage calls for a referendum on UK’s membership of ECHR

Watch: Shapps reaction after he’s asked whether making Britain poorer than Slovenia is an ‘election winning slogan’

Rishi Sunak to reshuffle Cabinet TODAY

Truss admits plan to scrap 45p top income tax rate was ‘bridge too far’

“I have increasingly come to believe that for a healthy democracy we must find new ways to reach people – especially those who are disengaged with politics. The revival of modern conservatism over the next decade will I suspect take place as much outside Parliament as in it.

“I have discovered a whole new world of possibilities which I am excited to explore – new ways for me to communicate with people of all ages and from all backgrounds.

Mr Hancock, who also posted a video on the social media site TikTok announcing his decision, told the prime minister: “I look forward to championing the issues that are dear to my heart, including better support for dyslexic children who get a raw deal from the education system.”

The i newspaper reported on Wednesday that Mr Hancock’s decision comes after his local constituency chairman wrote to the Conservative Chief Whip Simon Hart that the MP is “not fit to represent this constituency”.

The decision means that Mr Hancock joins other high-profile Conservative MPs, including former Cabinet ministers Sajid Javid and Chloe Smith, in stepping down at the next election.

I’m a Celebrity

Mr Hancock came a surprise third in the ITV series after enduring several bushtucker trials.

He resigned for breaking social distancing guidance by kissing and embracing an aide in his office.

His appearance on the show was controversial and his decision prompted criticism from Mr Sunak and other top Tories, as well as mockery from some fellow MPs.

The recent publication of his Pandemic Diaries has also offered fresh insights into the workings of Government as the Covid-19 virus hit the UK in 2020.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting was among those quick to react to Mr Hancock’s impending departure from Parliament.

“He’s not a celebrity! Get him out of here!” he tweeted.

In his TikTok video, Mr Hancock said: “I’ve increasingly come to the view that it’s so important to engage with people about politics, about how our country is run, not just through Parliament, but also through new and innovative ways and I look forward to doing more of that.”

Mr Hancock’s political fate had been up in the air since his entry into the jungle, with the former minister likely to have faced a battle in his local West Suffolk constituency if he had wished to stand again as a Tory MP.

He had represented the safe Conservative seat since 2010.

Related: German police arrest 25 on suspicion of planning armed far-right coup

Content Protection by DMCA.com
Tags: Matt Hancock

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

Nurses response to Laurence Fox tweet goes viral

Watch: PM’s care homes defence he ‘didn’t know covid could be transmitted asymptomatically’ blown apart by this footage

Major airline to delist from London Stock Exchange next month over Brexit

Prolonged Brexit uncertainty will damage the UK housing market

Jail term for man who sent offensive email to Labour MP

Dogs really aren’t that clever, suggests study

Kenya’s Communist Party goes viral after rappers make campaign video

Frankie’s goes to Hollywood

An Optician’s Guide to Pre-Test Optical Instruments

You can not be serious! Boris Johnson refuses to resign under relentless pressure as Tennis quote rings true

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.