Haverhill council asks Hancock to quit over I'm a Celeb

A town council has called on former health secretary Matt Hancock to quit as the local MP after he signed up for I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

Mr Hancock was suspended by the Conservatives after he joined the ITV show while Parliament was sitting.

Haverhill Town Council has written a letter expressing its "displeasure" at his participation on the show and urged him to resign as West Suffolk MP.

Mr Hancock's office said he "is still working on constituency matters".

Earlier in the week, Mr Hancock defended his decision and sources close to him said it was an "incredible opportunity for him to engage with the 12m Brits", using his time in the Australian jungle to promote his dyslexia campaign.

The statement added: "Matt has an excellent team working with him in West Suffolk, but producers have agreed that he can communicate with them if there's an urgent constituency matter."

In a letter to Mr Hancock, Haverhill Town Council's clerk Colin Poole said by a majority vote members directed him to "express their displeasure" at the MP's decision to absent himself from constituency duties.

"At a time when unprecedented cost-of-living pressures on your residents are causing real hardship to them... my members believe we need all hands on deck to fight our corner.

"Currently there is nobody to speak for West Suffolk in the House of Commons," the letter said.

It added: "By your actions you have made it clear to everyone that you see your future outside of politics.

"My members ask that you do the honourable thing and resign your seat."

Mr Hancock's office said the second reading of his Dyslexia Screening and Teacher Training Bill was expected days after the current series ends.

As a result, he said Mr Hancock's appearance on the ITV show was "an amazing opportunity for Matt to raise the profile of his dyslexia bill and to talk about an issue he really cares about in front of millions of people".

"As well as raising awareness of dyslexia, Matt will be raising thousands of pounds for charity off the back of his appearance - with donations going to both St Nicholas Hospice in Suffolk, and the British Dyslexia Association," the spokesman said.

"Matt is still working on constituency matters and has held a number of online meetings this week already."

Earlier this week, a number of groups, politicians and constituents spoke out against Mr Hancock appearing on the reality show, where contestants face gruelling challenges involving spiders, snakes and bugs.

Mr Hancock has been out of government since he resigned as health secretary, after he broke coronavirus lockdown rules by having an affair in his departmental office.

After that incident, councillors on Newmarket Town Council, also in his constituency, passed a vote of no confidence in the West Suffolk MP.

The former health secretary will be a late addition to the ITV show, which returns to Australia this year and will star Euro 2022 winner Jill Scott, ex-rugby star Mike Tindall and singer Boy George, among others.

The Tory chief whip said Mr Hancock's participation on the show while Parliament was sitting was "serious enough" to warrant suspension.

When MPs have the whip suspended, they are kicked out of the party within Parliament, but remain an MP and continue to be paid.

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