The Health Secretary Matt Hancock has ruled out taking a pay-cut during the coronavirus pandemic, after he was quizzed over his calls for footballers to do so by television presenter Piers Morgan.
Hancock was heavily criticised by those within the football community when he publicly urged Premier League stars to “play their part” by sacrificing wages during a press conference earlier this month.
Top-flight footballers have since launched the #PlayersTogether initiative, which was joined on Wednesday by the England Lionesses, to provide funds for the NHS Charities Together organisation.
Hancock, appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the show co-hosted by Morgan, was asked whether he would be willing to take a cut, but said: “I’m not proposing to do that.
"What I am proposing to do is work every hour that there is…”
He was then interrupted and pressed on the matter by Morgan, who cited the example of the government in New Zealand, who yesterday announced that ministers would take a 20 per cent pay-cut lasting for six months.
“You were very censorious of footballers for reasons I didn’t really understand, given they’re just one well-paid group of people in the country,” Morgan said.
“You’re a well-paid person, some of your cabinet are multimillionaires.
“It might be quite nice if you follow the lead of the New Zealand government and take a pay-cut. But you won’t do that?”
Hancock replied: “I was asked a question about footballers and I answered it.”
