A message slamming Matt Hancock’s involvement in the new series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! has reportedly been flown over the show’s camp.
On Tuesday, the organisation Covid-19 Bereaved Families For Justice UK took credit for the banner, which read: “Covid Bereaved Say Get Out Of Here!”
Posting on Twitter on Tuesday morning, the group said: “Earlier [the activist group 38 Degrees] flew over the I’m A Celebrity camp with a message for Matt Hancock from us.
“He isn’t a ‘celebrity’, he’s the former health secretary who oversaw the UK having one of the highest death tolls in the world from Covid-19 whilst breaking his own lockdown rules.
“He’s the man we wrote to over a year ago asking him to pass over his private gmail emails relating to the handling of the pandemic to the new health secretary in readiness for the Covid Inquiry. He’s the man who didn’t even respond to us.”
They continued: “[Hancock has] claimed the inquiry will set the record straight, but it can only get to the truth if is has the evidence it needs. He should be at home sending in those emails rather than being rewarded with £400,000 for not doing his job.
“His transparent attempt to sell more books and cleanse his public profile has failed, just like the ‘protective ring’ he dared to suggest he had placed around care homes.”
A spokesperson for Matt Hancock said: “Matt continues to support the Covid inquiry and he’ll continue to meet all the deadlines. Matt has already handed over his phone and given full access to all his emails and text messages, when requested by Parliament.”
They added: “The second reading of Matt’s Dyslexia Screening and Teacher Training Bill is just days after I’m A Celebrity finishes. By going on the show, Matt hopes to raise the profile of his dyslexia campaign and will use the platform to talk about an issue he really cares about in front of millions of people. Matt is determined that no child should leave primary school not knowing if they have dyslexia.”
ITV had no comment when contacted by HuffPost UK.
The Covid-19 Bereaved Families For Justice group was among the biggest critics when Hancock was first reported to have signed up for I’m A Celebrity earlier this month.
At the time, the group said: “The fact that he is trying to cash in on his terrible legacy, rather than showing some humility or seeking to reflect on the appalling consequences of his time in government says it all about the sort of person he is.
“Our families were ripped apart by Matt Hancock’s actions, and turning on the TV to see him being paraded around as a joke is sickening [...] ITV should do the decent thing and remove him from the programme.”
The sitting MP’s involvement in I’m A Celebrity has been met with a widespread backlash – from members of the public and, at least initially, his campmates – and led to his suspension from the Conservative party.
Hancock entered the jungle last week, and since then has been chosen by the public to take part in all but one Bushtucker Trial.
In Monday night’s episode, he was heard commenting: “I’m growing in confidence. I quite like a challenge anyway. So, you know, I don’t think I should say this... I’m starting to enjoy them and look forward to it.”