Matt Hancock has been given a new international role helping African countries recover from the covid pandemic just three months after quitting as UK Health Secretary.
On Tuesday evening Hancock announced he was “thrilled” to be offered a prestigious new United Nations job, albeit unpaid, advising African nations how to best bounce back from the pandemic.
The move came 24 hours after a damning report by MPs levelled heavy criticism at the UK government, saying the late lockdown in March 2020 which led to thousands of unnecessary deaths was one of the worst public health failures in UK history
In a tweet Hancock said: “Honoured to be appointed United Nations Special Representative. I’ll be working with the UN to help African economic recovery from the pandemic and promote sustainable development.”
The under secretary-general of the UN, Vera Songwe, said Hancock’s “success” in handling the UK’s pandemic response is a testament to the strengths he will bring to the role.
Hancock quit in disgrace over his Covid rule-breaking affair with an aide and was sent to the backbenches when he was caught on CCTV in a clinch with Gina Coladangelo in his office in the Department of Health
After a torrid weekend of trying to brazen it out Hancock had to resign in the face of rising public fury and offered a grovelling apology and admitted he had broken voters’ trust,
He has since left his wife and family, run the London marathon for charity, and popped from the back benches to make contributions to Commons debates.
Labour MP Alex Sobel tweeted: “I’m a supporter of International Intergovernmental Organisations but UN did you even do a little background check on Matt Hancock.’”
Matt Fowler co-founder of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, who lost his 56 year old father Ian in April last year, questioned whether the former Health Secretary was suitable for the role.
He said: “Given Matt Hancock contributed to the ‘worst UK public health failure ever’ and was forced to resign after breaching his own social distancing measures, maybe he should take care of his obligations to those of us who lost loved ones to Covid-19 in the UK by making sure the evidence the forthcoming inquiry will need is available before taking on any new challenges.”
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