Ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock Quits Parliament After I’m A Celebrity Stint
Matt Hancock has called time on his career as a Conservative MP after his controversial appearance on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity. Following his jungle adventure, the former health secretary informed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that he’s ready to explore “a whole new world of possibilities.”
From Parliament to the Jungle – and Now Out of Politics
The MP for West Suffolk, who has served in government since 2013, said politicians must find “new ways to reach people” outside of Parliament. Writing to Sunak, he declared it an “honour to serve” but admitted his future lies beyond Whitehall.
Fall from Grace: The Social Distancing Scandal
Hancock’s political downfall came in June 2021 when he was forced to resign as health secretary after flouting social distancing rules by kissing a colleague during the pandemic. Despite backing Sunak in the Conservative leadership race, he was left out of the government lineup.
Shock TV Switch Sparks Tory Backlash
His decision to join I’m A Celebrity sparked fury amongst MPs and his local Tory association, who saw it as an embarrassing distraction. But Hancock insists he wants to engage the public in fresh ways, especially those “disengaged from politics.”
“There was a time when I thought the only way to influence public debate was in Parliament, but I’ve realised there’s far more to it than that,” Hancock wrote. “I suspect that the revival of modern conservatism over the next decade will occur as much outside as inside Parliament.”
The ex-minister’s dramatic pivot signals a new chapter, leaving Westminster to connect with the public on his own terms.
