Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced he will not be standing as an MP at the next general election.
In a letter to Rishi Sunak, Mr Hancock said he had “discovered a whole new world of possibilities which I am excited to explore”. He added that politicians need to find “new ways to reach people” outside Parliament. He concluded his letter by saying it had 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,” he said.
Announcing his decision to quit Parliament, Mr Hancock said: “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. I have increasingly come to believe that for a healthy democracy we must find new ways of reaching 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.”
Now there’s a surprise …
The inference must be that he’s discovered more ways to bag more loot …
Still, I’m delighted for the good people of West Suffolk - they’ll be able to vote for someone who has their interests at heart and not his own …
A letter published on the West Suffolk Conservative Association’s website showed its president, Terry Wood, had written to the chief whip Simon Hart, asking him to keep Mr Hancock out of the party,
“At an officers group meeting held on 30th November 2022 a vote was taken that ruled that the officer group have no confidence in Matt Hancock, our sitting MP, and we would request that the whip is not restored to him,” he wrote. “This vote was brought about following feedback from the constituents in West Suffolk, advising that by virtue of recent events they consider Matt Hancock not fit to represent this constituency.”
There were other signs of a tense relationship between the MP and his local party after he announced he was standing down, with Tory Councillor Lance Stanbury saying it was “inevitable” after he had been “heavily criticised” by members.
Another councillor, Ian Houlder, also described Mr Hancock of being “up the creek without a paddle”, adding: “He was looking at his options quite rightly as anybody would and he’s gone for the money.”
The former health secretary’s local news outlet, Suffolk News, had last week reported that Newmarket Town Council was to send a letter to Mr Hancock asking him to resign following a vote.
It reported that before the vote, independent Councillor Lisa Crissall, said:
“We, the constituents of West Suffolk feel extremely let down by our MP Matt Hancock in his decision to take part in this reality TV show. This decision would lead us to believe that this is the career path he would prefer to take, as a celebrity instead of fulfilling his role as Minister of Parliament for West Suffolk. We would ask that he resign his seat and allow someone who cares about their constituents to fill the role.”
So, Hancock jumped before he was pushed … and, apparently, he won’t be missed by local party members or town councillors …
Seems to have fallen to the allure of a new mistress. (TV). Nowt but a dog anyhow. Think he may be deluding himself as to his popularity, a trap many of his ilk have fallen into. I fear disappointment lays in wait for this smuck.
