Matt Hancock has faced a fierce backlash for his appearance on I’m A Celebrity on Question Time – with one audience member suggesting they are “bored” with the “low level stuff that MPs are doing”.
The ex-health secretary and sitting MP joined the cast on Wednesday, entering the camp with comedian Seann Walsh after facing much criticism over his decision from the public and fellow politicians.
On the BBC’s flagship politics show, Hancock – who was forced to quit the cabinet in June 2021 after breaking coronavirus social distancing rules by having an affair in his ministerial office with an aide – faced a variety of criticisms.
One woman launched a long tirade about how more focus should be placed on home secretary Suella Braverman’s claim the UK is facing an “invasion” from migrants.
She said: “I’m really bored of hearing about the kind of low level stuff that MPs are doing, like Matt Hancock being in the jungle – I just don’t care. What I’m more concerned about is the fact that we have a home secretary who last week referred to refugees, people fleeing war and conflict, as an ‘invasion’.
“I think it’s really important to say that they are not illegal. Nobody is illegal. When they land on our shores, they claim asylum.”
She added: “We spend so much time talking about these people that, quite frankly, shouldn’t be in their jobs, and it’s a joke that they are, and we waste time talking about them rather than actually talking about the things that people in this government are doing that is harmful. Stirring up ... whipping up hatred.
“And that is what I’m really cross about. I don’t care if Matt Hancock wants to do something, I couldn’t care less. It’s taking up pointless air time. I’m repeating myself. What I really care about is the plight of refugees.”
Another audience member asked: “How many insects need to be consumed before MPs are held to a code of conduct fit for their position?”
She described the culture in Westminster as “unbelievable” and listed off a number of the recent scandals that have hit the Tory government.
She said: “That’s the flippant end of the wedge. We could go for repeated allegations of bullying, we could go for security breaches, we could go for resigning and getting your job back a week later.
“None of it is behaviour that anybody in this audience would be allowed to get away with in an actual place of work.”
Meanwhile, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said: “He’s now being held to account by Ant and Dec instead of being held to account by the Covid enquiry which is where he should be answering questions about the total mishandling of the Covid crisis.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Thursday that Hancock should “voluntarily leave” the I’m A Celebrity jungle and return to parliament.
On Thursday, Hancock’s excuse for breaking his own Covid rules – “I fell in love” – was called out on the show.