Hancock accused of trying to ‘cash in’ on COVID after he’s approached to write book on pandemic
Former health secretary Matt Hancock has been accused of trying to “cash in” on the COVID crisis after he was approached to write a book about the pandemic.
The ex-cabinet minister is reported to be in talks with publisher HarperCollins over his account of the government’s coronavirus response.
According to the Daily Mail, the book would detail Mr Hancock‘s “heroic” role in the UK’s vaccination campaign.
Mr Hancock resigned after he was pictured embracing aide Gina Coladangelo
Both Labour and the families of coronavirus victims have called for the publication of any book to be blocked until a promised public inquiry has been held into the government’s handling of the pandemic.
A spokesperson for Mr Hancock confirmed the ex-health secretary had been approached to write a book but stressed “no decisions have been made” and that there was “no deal”.
Mr Hancock resigned from government in June after admitting to breaching COVID rules.
It followed the emergence of CCTV footage of him embracing his aide Gina Coladangelo in his departmental office.
Responding to the Daily Mail report about Mr Hancock’s proposed book, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said it was “absolutely disgusting” that the ex-health secretary might get to “put his spin on events” ahead of a public inquiry.
“This is an insult to bereaved families,” she added. “If the toothless and ineffective ACOBA [Advisory Committee on Business Appointments] won’t block this then Boris Johnson needs to step in and stop Matt Hancock cashing in on tragedy and failure.”
The COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group posted on Twitter: “You’d think the health secretary who presided over one of the worst death tolls in the world would have some humility or seek to reflect on the many lives lost, rather than try and cash in on the tragedy.
“We’d urge Harper Collins to reconsider paying £££ for a story that will inevitably cause pain and hurt for those of us who have lost loved ones.
“Families have a right to hear about the decisions that have changed their lives forever in an inquiry, not a tell all memoir.”
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The prime minister has promised to appoint a chair of the public inquiry into the government’s handling of the COVID crisis, due to begin in the spring of next year, by Christmas.
A spokesperson for Matt Hancock said: “Matt has been approached to write a book about his experiences in the pandemic, but no decisions have been made. There is no deal.
“The people who were heroic during the pandemic were the NHS staff who worked round the clock to save lives.”
Sky News has attempted to contact HarperCollins for comment.
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Rachel Reeves will stress the need for “hard work matched by fair reward” when she unveils plans for a “youth guarantee” to drive down unemployment.
The chancellor will make the case for a society founded on “contribution” in her speech at Labour‘s annual conference in Liverpool today.
She is expected to confirm plans for every young person who has received universal credit (UC) for 18 months without “earning or learning” to be guaranteed an offer of paid work.
Labour conference in Liverpool – follow live updates
Those who refuse to take up jobs without a “reasonable excuse” will face sanctions such as losing their benefits, it is understood.
The guarantee, which will be overseen by Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, forms part of a pledge of “nothing less than the abolition of long-term youth unemployment“.
Ms Reeves is expected to say: “I believe in a Britain founded on contribution – where we do our duty for each other, and where hard work is matched by fair reward.
“I believe in a Britain based on opportunity – where ordinary kids can flourish, unhindered by their background.
“And I believe that Britain’s real wealth is found not only in the success of the fortunate few, but in the talents of all our people, in every part of our great country.”
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Trevor’s Takeaway at Labour Party Conference
It comes in the wake of concerns among some Labour members that the government needs to offer voters a clearer vision of its agenda.
Sir Keir Starmer has previously avoided using buzzwords to define his politics, but thinktank Labour Together published a paper last week in which it argued the concept of contribution should be put at the heart of policymaking.
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Ms Reeves is expected to add: “We won’t leave a generation of young people to languish without prospects – denied the dignity, the security and the ladders of opportunity that good work provides.
“Just as the last Labour government, with its new deal for young people, abolished long-term youth unemployment I can commit this government to nothing less than the abolition of long-term youth unemployment.
“We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again.”
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Sir Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, accused Labour of “contradictions” within their policies.
He said: “Rachel Reeves says she wants to abolish youth unemployment – yet in her very first budget, she introduced a £25bn jobs tax that made it more expensive for businesses to hire, especially young people.
“That’s the contradiction at the heart of Labour’s plan: they talk about opportunity, but their policies kill jobs.
“Since Labour came to power, unemployment is up. Business confidence is down. And now Reeves is trying to fix a problem she created – while pointing the finger of blame, as she so often does, at everyone else.”
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