UK PM Boris Johnson stands by well being secretary who broke Covid guidelines kissing aide

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson rejected calls on Friday to fireplace his well being secretary, after photos appeared of him embracing and kissing an aide in his workplace, in what he acknowledged was a breach of coronavirus guidelines.
The Sun newspaper, which printed the pictures of Matt Hancock and the aide on its entrance web page, stated the photographs had been taken final month, earlier than the federal government lifted guidelines banning intimate contact with individuals outdoors an individual’s family.
The aide had been a buddy of Hancock’s earlier than she was appointed to his workers. Hancock is married. “I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances,” Hancock stated. “I have let people down and am very sorry. I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter.”
Hancock, 42, has been on the centre of the federal government’s battle towards the pandemic, typically showing on tv to inform the general public to comply with strict guidelines and to defend his division towards criticism of its response to the disaster.
A spokesperson for Johnson stated the prime minister had accepted Hancock’s apology, had full confidence in him, and “considers the matter closed”.
The opposition Labour Party referred to as on Johnson to fireplace Hancock and demanded an investigation into whether or not he breached the code governing the behaviour of ministers.
“This matter is definitely not closed, despite the government’s attempts to cover it up,” a Labour spokesperson stated.
“Matt Hancock appears to have been caught breaking the laws he created, while having a secret relationship with an aide he appointed to a taxpayer-funded job.”
Hancock has been criticised for his division’s dealing with of the pandemic, significantly within the early months final yr when it struggled to ship testing and protecting gear for hospital workers treating Covid-19 sufferers.
Hancock was present in February to have acted unlawfully by not revealing particulars of contracts signed throughout the disaster. The well being ministry stated it had wanted to maneuver shortly.
Hancock additionally stated final yr that it was proper {that a} authorities scientist resigned after breaking Covid guidelines by assembly a accomplice.
More than half of UK adults stated Hancock ought to resign, based on an opinion ballot on Friday. Savanta ComRes discovered 58% of these polled thought he step down.
“It’s a disgrace,” stated Charlie Irwin, a 19-year-old who lives in Kent within the south of England. The authorities has been “so onto us about, you know, ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that,’ and then to go and break them.”
The Sun didn’t say the way it obtained the safety digicam pictures, however it cited a whistleblower as commenting on the connection. London’s police stated they’d not examine Hancock as a result of they don’t retrospectively examine breaches of the federal government’s coronavirus rules.
The Sun stated Hancock met the aide at Oxford University within the early 2000s. She is listed on the well being division’s web site as a non-executive director.
Asked concerning the appropriateness of appointing associates to positions in authorities, Transport Minister Grant Shapps advised Sky News that “very strict rules” had been in place.