Matt Hancock has been under fire as new revelations from the Covid inquiry are putting him in a very bad light. Sir Simon Stevens, the former NHS England chief, gave a witness statement in which he revealed that Hancock thought he should decide ‘who should live and die’ if the NHS was overwhelmed.
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Hancock is no stranger to controversy. He served as Health Secretary from 2018 to 2021, when he was caught having an affair with aide Gina Coladangelo. Photos of the pair sharing a secret snog - thereby breaching Hanock’s own Covid rules at the time - were released. Hancock had to resign, but since then he has expanded his career and therefore wealth with a book release and TV appearances. So, what exactly did Hancock say about Covid, how does he make his money and how much is he worth now?
Matt Hancock and the Covid inquiry
Sir Simon’s comments have relaunched a whole lot of interest in Matt Hancock’s behaviour during the pandemic. In his statement, he explained that Hancock believed that he, rather than medical professionals or the public, should decide who should be prioritised for healthcare as hospitals struggled to cope with the pandemic. Sir Simon said:
I certainly wanted to discourage the idea that an individual secretary of state, other than in the most exceptional circumstances, should be deciding how care would be provided.
He added that ‘fortunately this horrible dilemma never crystallised’.
Hancock is just one of many who have been dragged through the mud during this inquiry; Rishi Sunak has even tried to wriggle out of it by claiming that he change his phone and therefore lost his WhatsApp messages.
How does Hancock make his money?
In 2020, The Sun reported that Matt Hancock had a net worth of around £705,000 – £2.1 million. Most of his wealth has come from his career as a politician, but some comes from his work before and after his time in this field. First, he worked as an economist, then an economic advisor at the Bank of England, before becoming chief of staff to George Osborne, then-shadow chancellor. Hancock then climbed the Conservative Party ladder, becoming Health Secretary in 2018.
After the 2021 affair scandal, Hancock continued to work as West Suffolk‘s MP - a role he has held since 2010. He surprised the public in November 2022 when it was announced that he would be a contestant on the ITV reality TV show I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Hancock was suspended from the party whip for this move - meaning he was kicked out of the Conservative Party but could continue representing his constituency as an Independent MP. As of April 2022, MPs made an annual salary of £84,144.
Indeed, the public were shocked to discover that he continued to earn his MP’s salary while filming in the jungle for I’m a Celebrity. On top of this, he was reportedly paid around £400,000 to take part in the show - which was the second highest rate anyone at the time had received. Boy George was number one with a whopping approximate paycheck of £879,000.
A spokesperson at the time stated:
Matt will be making a donation to St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk and causes supporting dyslexia off the back of his appearance.
When the public found out just how much Hancock had donated, it was very anticlimactic. He gave 3% to charity, so £12,000.
Later that year, Hancock released a book called Pandemic Diaries where he tells the ‘inside story of Britain's battle against Covid’. This year, he delved back into telly with a performance on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
How much is Hancock worth now?
In 2022, The Sun reported that the former Health Secretary was worth around £5 million. His book didn’t fly off the shelves, but it is said to have made him around £48,000. Meanwhile, for Celebrity SAS he reportedly made around £45,000.
So, he may be having a hard time in terms of his reputation, but the disgraced former Health Secretary definitely has money in the bank.
Read more:
⋙ Matt Hancock: Is he still in a relationship with Gina Coladangelo?
⋙ Matt Hancock starting new career as an influencer? This is what he's doing now
⋙ I’m A Celeb: Viewers ‘nauseated’ with Matt Hancock and Seann Walsh bromance
Sources used:
Express: Matt Hancock worth millions - I'm a Celeb runner-up and politician's net worth
Daily Echo: Matt Hancock launches TV company after ITV I'm A Celeb appearance
Metro: How much is Matt Hancock worth and how does he make his money?
BBC News: Covid inquiry hears Matt Hancock wanted to decide who lived and died
The Sun: LIFE OF AN MP Who is Matt Hancock and what is his net worth?
Wales Online: Matt Hancock’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins £562 an hour pay packet revealed
