Matt Hancock resigns and following matters

[Busaholic]

Chris Grayling is another example, we know how much he messed up managing ferry contracts yet he has a role advising something at Felixstowe Port on £100k a year for a few hours work a week. I wouldn't be surprised if Hancock returned to cabinet under the next PM if Johnson were to go next year.

So that's why Felixstowe's in trouble: I knew there had to be a reason!

 

[Typhoon]

Great to see the old empire still sending out the man to tell the locals how they should do things.

Apparently not any more:

What is most telling is the last four lines:

The withdrawal of the offer was welcomed by campaign group Global Justice Now.
The group's director Nick Dearden said: "If Matt Hancock wants to help African countries recover from the pandemic, he should lobby the prime minister to back a patent waiver on Covid-19 vaccines.
"If he'd done that when he was in government, tens of millions more people could already have been vaccinated.
"The last thing the African continent needs is a failed British politician. This isn't the 19th Century."

I haven't got a clue about Global Justice Now, but the statement (and that of @Baxenden Bank ) seem spot on. A look at death rates due to Covid in Africa shows most are pretty low, even allowing for undercounting, compared to the UK and if the developed world could get the vaccine out there to stop further spread it would be more use than sending out someone whose skills don't exactly seem to match those required to give Africa's economies a boost.

I don't know whether anyone else has noticed but we don't seem to be able to palm our surplus ex-ministers off on international agencies the way we once could. I wonder why?

 

[JamesT]

What is most telling is the last four lines:

I haven't got a clue about Global Justice Now, but the statement (and that of @Baxenden Bank ) seem spot on. A look at death rates due to Covid in Africa shows most are pretty low, even allowing for undercounting, compared to the UK and if the developed world could get the vaccine out there to stop further spread it would be more use than sending out someone whose skills don't exactly seem to match those required to give Africa's economies a boost.

I don't know whether anyone else has noticed but we don't seem to be able to palm our surplus ex-ministers off on international agencies the way we once could. I wonder why?

Africa is a very young continent demographically, the median age was 19.7 last year. As COVID-19 is mostly lethal to the old it’s not especially surprising they have low death rates even with low vaccination rates.
That’s not to say that they shouldn’t get vaccines, but that they might not be as high a priority as other places.
The stuff about waiving the patents is mostly irrelevant, I’ve not seen any proof that the barrier to countries producing vaccines is that they’re unable to afford the licence fees, it’s more a lack of manufacturing capacity.

 

[Typhoon]

Africa is a very young continent demographically, the median age was 19.7 last year. As COVID-19 is mostly lethal to the old it’s not especially surprising they have low death rates even with low vaccination rates.
That’s not to say that they shouldn’t get vaccines, but that they might not be as high a priority as other places.
The stuff about waiving the patents is mostly irrelevant, I’ve not seen any proof that the barrier to countries producing vaccines is that they’re unable to afford the licence fees, it’s more a lack of manufacturing capacity.

Thanks for the information about patents.

Regarding his suitability for the role:

In her letter to Mr Hancock offering him the job, Ms Songwe said his "success" in handling the UK's pandemic response was a testament to the strengths he would bring to the role.

Leaders of African States might feel that he had shown little that was applicable regarding skills. I don't think they would consider the point that you made, they were having someone from a former colonial power hoisted upon them who appears to have done to help economies recover but has been at best moderately successful in his governmental positions. A successful businessman (preferably in exports), if it is a UK politician, Rishi Sunak if he was available, someone who has a track record of international trade or boosting an economy. And someone who could be described as dynamic, Hancock is just a suit.

 

[D6130]

Tom Winsor is another who could end in the same category as Grayling and Hancock. He almost destroyed what is left of British policing back in 2012, then to cap it all he becomes the Senior Inspector of the HMIC (the first non police officer appointed in the role).

Slightly OT, but was this the same Tom Winsor who was the first Rail Regulator following privatisation in the late 1990s? I think we should be told.

Has anyone asked Mrs Hancock’s opinion of the latest development? That is if she can say anything between bursts of hysterical laughter, cheering and punching the air.

Maybe she pulled a few strings in the wrong direction. I'm sure she must still have some powerful friends in the 'moral' wing of the Tory party.

 

[JamesT]

Slightly OT, but was this the same Tom Winsor who was the first Rail Regulator following privatisation in the late 1990s? I think we should be told.

Yes, same person.

 

[C J Snarzell]

Slightly OT, but was this the same Tom Winsor who was the first Rail Regulator following privatisation in the late 1990s? I think we should be told.

Tom Winsor is the first 'civilian' head of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, which now encompasses the Fire & Rescue Services.

All previous Chief Inspectors have all been former Chief Constables in Home Office forces. I remember when Winsor was appointed in the role he was photographed wearing a police tunic. This is a chap who has never been a police officer!!!!

Every Police Federation across the country was in complete uproar at the time. I seem to recall one Fed Chairperson actually pointed out it is an offence to impersonate a police officer.

CJ

 

[Busaholic]

I remember when Winsor was appointed in the role he was photographed wearing a police tunic. This is a chap who has never been a police officer!!!!

Every Police Federation across the country was in complete uproar at the time. I seem to recall one Fed Chairperson actually pointed out it is an offence to impersonate a police officer.

CJ

Putting on a police uniform doesn't in itself constitute an offence for a non police officer, otherwise hundreds of cop films and TV series wouldn't have been able to be made! Intent is all.

 

[brad465]

Next up in the sequence of life after Health Secretary for Matt Hancock, he's reported to be getting a book deal to write about the pandemic, in which he'll get to label himself a hero and in turn cash in on a controversial situation:

Matt Hancock accused of trying to 'cash in' on COVID after he's approached to write book on pandemic

Both Labour and the families of coronavirus victims are calling for the publication of any book by Matt Hancock to be blocked until a promised public inquiry has been held into the government's handling of the pandemic.

news.sky.com

Former health secretary Matt Hancock has been accused of trying to "cash in" on the COVID crisis after he was approached to write a book about the pandemic.

The ex-cabinet minister is reported to be in talks with publisher HarperCollins over his account of the government's coronavirus response.

According to the Daily Mail, the book would detail Mr Hancock's "heroic" role in the UK's vaccination campaign.

Both Labour and the families of coronavirus victims have called for the publication of any book to be blocked until a promised public inquiry has been held into the government's handling of the pandemic.

A spokesperson for Mr Hancock confirmed the ex-health secretary had been approached to write a book but stressed "no decisions have been made" and that there was "no deal".

Mr Hancock resigned from government in June after admitting to breaching COVID rules.

It followed the emergence of CCTV footage of him embracing his aide Gina Coladangelo in his departmental office.

It's also being reported elsewhere he'll be labelling himself a hero against Johnson's Government as a whole and the Health Service, which implies both trying to distance himself from the others when the proverbial hits the fan (if it hasn't already) and a very high ego, such that I hope at the book launch someone plays "You're so vain".

 

[NorthKent1989]

Next up in the sequence of life after Health Secretary for Matt Hancock, he's reported to be getting a book deal to write about the pandemic, in which he'll get to label himself a hero and in turn cash in on a controversial situation:

Matt Hancock accused of trying to 'cash in' on COVID after he's approached to write book on pandemic

Both Labour and the families of coronavirus victims are calling for the publication of any book by Matt Hancock to be blocked until a promised public inquiry has been held into the government's handling of the pandemic.

news.sky.com

It's also being reported elsewhere he'll be labelling himself a hero against Johnson's Government as a whole and the Health Service, which implies both trying to distance himself from the others when the proverbial hits the fan (if it hasn't already) and a very high ego, such that I hope at the book launch someone plays "You're so vain".

Won’t this odious little man ever go away?! He’s probably the most hated politician alongside Johnson and up there with Blair and Thatcher!

 

[brad465]

False alarm apparently: HarperCollins, the publisher being speculated for a book deal, has spoken out on Twitter claiming the Daily Mail, who initially reported it, made incorrect reporting and no book deal has been signed, nor are any discussions taking place:

https://twitter.com/HarperCollinsUK/status/1459595875739705357

As we told the Mail before it ran its story about HarperCollins and Matt Hancock, we have no knowledge of such a book and are not in talks. The story is incorrect.

Sounds like another job Hancock's lost before it even started

 

[alex397]

False alarm apparently: HarperCollins, the publisher being speculated for a book deal, has spoken out on Twitter claiming the Daily Mail, who initially reported it, made incorrect reporting and no book deal has been signed, nor are any discussions taking place:

This is why anything from that rag should be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[brad465]

This is why anything from that rag should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Yes I saw suggestions the subject publisher would do well to sue the Mail for damages, given the negative reputation that was being created by the book concept.

 

[Typhoon]

False alarm apparently: HarperCollins, the publisher being speculated for a book deal, has spoken out on Twitter claiming the Daily Mail, who initially reported it, made incorrect reporting and no book deal has been signed, nor are any discussions taking place
Sounds like another job Hancock's lost before it even started

Yes I saw suggestions the subject publisher would do well to sue the Mail for damages, given the negative reputation that was being created by the book concept.

My day is just getting better and better!

In a way I was hoping for a book. He clearly doesn't understand how unpopular he is. If he puts anyone up as villain besides Cummings I reckon that's his parliamentary career done for all time.

 

[brad465]

Hancock was interviewed today and talked about the behaviour that saw him resign:

Matt Hancock: Breaking Covid guidance 'failure of leadership'

The former health secretary Matt Hancock tells the BBC he is "sorry for all the people I let down".

www.bbc.co.uk

Former health secretary Matt Hancock said breaking of social distancing guidance, which led to his resignation, was "a failure of leadership".
The West Suffolk MP stood down after pictures were published showing him in an embrace with a colleague.
Speaking to the BBC at a mass vaccination event at Newmarket Racecourse, he said he was "sorry for all the people I let down".
He added: "People have been forgiving which I'm grateful for."

Mr Hancock quit after The Sun published pictures and then a video of Mr Hancock and Gina Coladangelo kissing.
The newspaper said they had been taken inside the Department of Health on 6 May.
Mr Hancock said: "What I really feel is that was a failure of leadership.
"I hope that by being straightforward and apologising and resigning, people can see that I get it and I know I need to do a good job representing the people."
The 43-year-old Conservative MP for West Suffolk said he was not in any rush to return to ministerial office, adding: "There is a lot you can do for the people you serve from the back benches."

The former health secretary was also at the centre of cronyism claims after a neighbour was awarded an NHS contract.
But he insisted "everything has been above board" over government contracts for PPE and medical equipment.
He said he was "absolutely certain" that the forthcoming Covid inquiry would find "that a whole load of people were working incredibly hard in unprecedented circumstances to do their best to save lives, and that's what we were doing".

As has been highlighted by others before, all this breaking social distancing guidance is just cover for what was arguably even worse: hiring his lover/mistress into a taxpayer-funded advisor role without disclosing the conflict of interest, which is textbook corruption.

 

[Gloster]

As has been highlighted by others before, all this breaking social distancing guidance is just cover for what was arguably even worse: hiring his lover/mistress into a taxpayer-funded advisor role without disclosing the conflict of interest, which is textbook corruption.

Nepotism is the word I would use.

 

[LOL The Irony]

As has been highlighted by others before, all this breaking social distancing guidance is just cover for what was arguably even worse: hiring his lover/mistress into a taxpayer-funded advisor role without disclosing the conflict of interest, which is textbook corruption.

Well if he couldn't exactly declare she was his mistress, could he?

 

[Busaholic]

In a way I was hoping for a book. He clearly doesn't understand how unpopular he is.

I remember when Edwina Currie had a new book published one week, and the following week huge piles of them sat in Trago Mills in the 'Remainders' section reduced from £14.99 to £3!!