‘How the f*** did anyone photograph that?’ – Leaked messages show Hancock’s reaction to footage of him and aide in passionate embrace
New leaked messages between Matt Hancock and officials show the then health secretary trying to rescue his career after pictures were published of him embracing aide Gina Coladangelo.
In the messages, Mr Hancock is shown discussing the COVID-19 guidance in place at the time and deciding what his initial response to media questions should be.
As he awaits publication in June 2021, Mr Hancock asked a special adviser: “How bad are the pics?”
Told it’s a “snog and heavy petting”, he replied: “How the f*** did anyone photograph that?”
The messages also showed the reaction of Mr Hancock and Ms Coladangelo to a video obtained by The Sun.
“OMFG”, Ms Coladangelo said.
Mr Hancock said: “Crikey.
“Not sure there’s much news value in that and I can’t say it’s very enjoyable viewing.”
He resigned as health secretary shortly afterwards.
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The exchanges are among more than 100,000 messages leaked by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who was given them by Mr Hancock while they were collaborating on his memoir.
Ms Oakeshott turned the messages over to The Daily Telegraph, something Mr Hancock has described as a “massive betrayal”.
She insists her actions were in the public interest.
‘Increasingly isolated’
In his memoir, Mr Hancock said that Boris Johnson had assured him he could carry on even though he and Ms Coladangelo had been pictured kissing in his office in breach of his own social-distancing guidelines.
But after the story broke, Mr Hancock said he was “increasingly isolated” politically and was left with no choice but to quit.
Earlier on Friday, another set of leaked messages were published showing Mr Hancock branded a ministerial colleague a “w*****” and mocked Rishi Sunak’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme as “eat out to help the virus get about”, leaked messages show.
After the latest leaks a spokesperson for Matt Hancock said: “There’s nothing new in these messages, and absolutely no public interest in publishing them given the independent inquiry has them all.
“It’s highly intrusive, completely inappropriate and has all been discussed endlessly before.”
‘Just officials making mischief’
The latest release of information from The Telegraph focuses on Mr Hancock’s relationship with then chancellor – now prime minister – Rishi Sunak.
One exchange of messages published today took place in June 2020, as the country began to open up from the first lockdown.
Matt Hancock and Rishi Sunak
Mr Hancock was angry about a story claiming that Mr Sunak had issued warnings over some departments’ spending being out of control.
Speaking with one of his advisers, Mr Hancock said he “spoke to Rishi”, who was “horrified” at the story.
Mr Hancock and his adviser discussed where the story could have come from – who had told the journalist what Mr Sunak was said to think.
The adviser said he assumed it was “just officials making mischief”.
Steve Barclay and Matt Hancock
Mr Hancock said “Or Steve Barclay. W—ers. Trying to be all clever about spending control.”
At the time, Mr Barclay, who is now health secretary, was chief secretary of the Treasury, under Mr Sunak.
‘Eat out to help the virus get about’
In December 2020, Mr Hancock complained to his adviser about the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.
Launched in summer 2020 by Mr Sunak, the scheme subsidised food at restaurants in order to help support the hospitality industry.
After the scheme had ended, Mr Hancock’s adviser asked if he could call Mr Hancock back after dinner – to which the health secretary quipped “Isn’t that illegal?”
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The adviser said: “Not any more, all thanks to Rishi…”
Mr Hancock replied: “He hasn’t launched another eat out to help the virus get about has he?”
The adviser said: “Got to give the virus a fighting chance, given how well you’re doing with vaccines and testing right now…”
Messages from when the scheme was active show Mr Hancock saying Eat Out to Help Out was “causing problems in our [i]ntervention areas”, but the cabinet minister “kept it out of the news but it’s serious”.
He said the Treasury under Mr Sunak had been told, but Mr Hancock had been “protecting them in the comms”.
It was later estimated that the scheme had caused a “significant” rise in infections.
UK drivers are “confused” by the country’s electric car transition, ministers are being warned.
Although most drivers are not hostile towards electric vehicles (EVs), many are confused about what changes are coming and when, according to new research from the AA.
In a survey of more than 14,000 AA members, 7% thought the government was banning the sale of used petrol and diesel cars.
Around a third thought manual EVs exist, despite them all being automatic.
More than one in five said they would never buy an EV.
The government’s plan for increasing the number of electric vehicles being driven in the UK focuses heavily on increasing the supply of the vehicles.
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What you can do to reach net zero
In 2024, at least 22% of new cars and 10% of new vans sold by each manufacturer in the UK had to be zero-emission, which generally means pure electric.
Each year, those percentages will rise, reaching 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans in 2030.
Manufacturers will face fines of £15,000 per vehicle if electric vehicle sales fall short of 28% of total production this year.
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By 2035, all new cars and vans will be required to be fully zero emission, according to the Department for Transport.
Second-hand diesel and petrol cars will still be allowed to be sold after this date, and their fuel will still be available.
There are more EVs – but will people buy them?
In February, 25% of new cars were powered purely by battery and in January, they made up 21% of all new cars registered in the UK.
But despite the growth of electric sales, manufacturers continue to warn that the market will not support the growth required to hit government EV targets, and called for consumer incentives and the extension of tax breaks.
The AA suggested the government’s plan focuses on “supply but does little to encourage demand for EVs”.
It called on ministers to co-ordinate a public awareness campaign alongside the motoring industry which directly targets drivers who doubt the viability of EVs.
“Our message to government is more needs to be done to make EVs accessible for everyone,” said Jakob Pfaudler, AA chief executive.
Which? head of consumer rights Sue Davis said: “When it comes to making sustainable choices such as switching to an electric car, our research shows that people are often held back by high costs, complex choices or uncertainty.
“The government needs to provide the right information on electric vehicles and other sustainable choices so that people have the confidence to switch.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We’re investing over £2.3bn to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs.
“This includes installing a public charge point every 28 minutes, keeping EV incentives in the company car tax regime to 2030, and extending 100% first-year allowances for zero-emission cars for another year.
“Second-hand EVs are also becoming cheaper than ever, with one in three available under £20,000 and 21 brand new models available for less than £30,000.
“We’re seeing growing consumer confidence as a result.”
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