Status: 06/28/2021 2:56 p.m.
After the resignation of the British Health Minister Hancock, many Brits are asking themselves: Who made the compromising recordings and leaked them to the press?
By Christoph Prössl,
ARD studio London
The photos are clear: you can see former Health Secretary Matt Hancock hugging his colleague Gina Coladangelo. The photo was published by the tabloid newspaper “The Sun” last week. Both are married to another partner and have three children each. The affair has apparently been going on for a long time.
Violate distance rules in the office
After some back and forth, Hancock resigned on Saturday. Hancock justified the resignation by violating measures to contain Corona. In England, distance rules apply in the office. In a video message, Hancock said, “I am aware of the sacrifices that many have made in this country and those who make these rules must abide by them. That is why I must resign.”
Many people in Great Britain are now wondering: Where do the pictures actually come from? At first it was said that the recordings were made by a surveillance camera in the office of the Minister of Health. This should have been installed there in 2017 – why is unclear. It is unclear who had access to the images and, above all, who leaked the sequences to the media. A private security company has been commissioned to monitor and protect the building in question.
Look for illegal cameras
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland gave several interviews in the morning in which he called for ministers’ offices to be checked regularly for illegal cameras. Ministers and government employees have a right to work unobserved because they often have to deal with confidential information.
Video surveillance is now commonplace, but there are also forces who want to damage the government with sensitive material. On Friday after “The Sun” reported on the Hancock affair, Buckland asked the administration whether his office was also being monitored, as he told Times Radio.
Secret service determined
The police are investigating the case, and the MI5 secret service will also be involved in the investigation. There are concerns within the government about how secret information or the content of confidential conversations may leak to the public.
Hancock and Coladangelo already know each other from their studies. The opposition Labor Party has called for further clarification in the case. It must be clarified how the former lobbyist got the job in the Ministry of Health. The opposition also complained that Johnson initially stuck to Hancock.
Hancock has also been criticized in recent months for his work as Minister of Health. The opposition accused him that residents of old people’s and care facilities were moved back to their rooms after treatments outside of these facilities without a corona test – although Hancock had promised special caution.
Boris Johnson is said to have been derogatory about his work, but initially stuck to him when Hancock notified him after the photos were published.
Hancock wants to remain an MP
Matt Hancock announced that he would like to keep his seat as MP in the lower house. In this role he wants to continue to support Boris Johnson.
Sajid Javid is the new Minister of Health. He was manager of Deutsche Bank and finance minister from July 2019 to February 2020. The Briton of Pakistani origins studied economics and political science. Labor criticized the appointment. Javid has imposed the savings on the NHS health system from which the NHS is still suffering.