Grant Shapps has said he believes coronavirus rules were followed by Matt Hancock after CCTV images emerged of the Health Secretary allegedly kissing his aide.
The Sun has reported that Mr Hancock, who has been married for 15 years, has been caught on camera embracing lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, who he hired as an unpaid advisor in March last year.
The incident is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his Department of Health office.
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On Friday morning, the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told LBC radio: “I have seen the photo but, as ever with private matters, I always try to avoid commenting on other people’s personal lives and I think I’ll stick with that tradition here.”
Asked whether the Health Secretary should have been “ignoring social distancing”, Mr Shapps replied: “I’m quite sure that whatever the rules were at the time were followed.
“You’ll recall that there was a point at which social distancing rules were changed but, as I say, I don’t want to comment on somebody else’s private life – that is for them.”
In a statement published later on Friday afternoon, Matt Hancock responded to the allegation and admitted breaking social distancing rules.
Mr Hancock said: “I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances.
“I have let people down and am very sorry.
“I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter.”
It comes after Labour said the Government needed to answer whether the Health Secretary had broken any rules or there had been “conflicts of interest” in the appointment of his closest adviser.
An Opposition party spokesman said: “Ministers, like everyone, are entitled to a private life.
“However, when taxpayers’ money is involved or jobs are being offered to close friends who are in a personal relationship with a minister, then that needs to be looked into.
“The Government needs to be open and transparent about whether there are any conflicts of interests or rules that have been broken.”
Meanwhile, Grant Shapps told Sky News that Gina Coladangelo – who the Health Secretary met at university – would have gone through an “incredibly rigorous” process to get the job.
Asked about the rules around appointing friends to Government positions, Mr Shapps said: “First of all, I think the actual issue is entirely personal for Matt Hancock.
“In terms of rules, anyone who has been appointed has to go through an incredibly rigorous process in Government, so whatever the rules are, the rules will have to be followed.
“There are no short cuts to that, as anyone who has had anything to do with the appointments system in the Civil Service knows.
“There are very strict rules in place.”
