Matt Hancock has announced he will be standing down at the next election. He had the Conservative whip removed after taking part in “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!”. While the MP claimed the chief whip “made clear he would restore the whip in due course”, Mr Hancock said that would no longer be “necessary”.
In a letter to Rishi Sunak, Mr Hancock said: “I am writing to tell you that I do not intend to stand for the Conservatives at the next General Election.”
Asked about why Mr Hancock went into the I’m a Celebrity Jungle an ally of the MP said: “When he was first approached to take part – while he was flattered and naturally curious – it didn’t take him too long to turn the opportunity down because of the instability Government was facing at the time.
“Rishi Sunak has made a great start and the whole of the Conservative Party is united behind him.
“Matt’s talked to the whips, in the same way any MP would when going on a foreign visit, which happens all the time. As I say, Matt doesn’t expect to serve in government again, but he can support Rishi and the Government in different ways.”
They added: “This is an amazing opportunity to engage with the public and talk about issues he really cares about – including his dyslexia campaign.”
More to follow…
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