Should Matt Hancock resign? Gazette readers have their say on Health Secretary's job

The minister this week issued an apology for breaching “the social distancing guidance” and said he was “very sorry” following the publication of pictures in The Sun newspaper on Friday, June 25, which showed him kissing Gina Coladangelo.

A video of Mr Hancock in an embrace with Mrs Coladangelo, an aide at the Department for Health and Social Care, was also published on Friday.

In a statement that same day, 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.”

Following his statement, a Downing Street spokesman said Prime Minister Boris Johnson accepted the apology and “considers the matter closed”.

Calls for Mr Hancock to go have continued, with hundreds of Gazette readers sharing their opinions on our Facebook page.

Here are some of your comments:

Michelle Willoughby: “The man should resign.”

Pat Booth: “He made the rules he needs to stand by them.”

Imogen Kirk: “Yes [...] but for his lack of sensitivity to families who stayed away from loved ones.

Robert Telford: “His private life and job are two different things. Okay, she’s a colleage but they’re both adults. He’s doing a good job.”

Pauline Foulkes: “Carried away by lust, probably not the first or last, no matter what job you’re in, lockdown or not.”

Jayne Falcus Laverick: “Yes he’s lost the trust. What happens if more lockdowns have to come. Who’s going to listen to him then?”

Julie Frost: “I think he should feel shame for the way he's disrespected his wife and children.”

James Clare: “I'm not sure how it would help the country to lose him at this point.

“That said, if he had just immediately offered his resignation then in six months or a year he may well have been given a new role.”

Support your Gazette and become a subscriber today.

With a digital subscription you get access to the ad-lite version of our website, meaning you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times and get all of the headlines you need with fewer distractions.

The Northumberland Gazette has been serving the county since 1854, and your support means we can continue telling your stories for generations to come.

Click here to subscribe.