Matt Hancock is accused of keeping a crucial Public Health England research from the prime minister, despite the findings demonstrating the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccine against the Indian strain.
Labour has formally requested an explanation from the government as to why there has been no inquiry into whether Matt Hancock violated the law during his connection with an aide, despite what the party described as “clear evidence” of a violation.
The Labour Party’s request, made in a letter to Attorney General Michael Ellis, comes after a political think tank claimed that Hancock’s actions showed the need for the ministerial code to be legally supported.
Political Battle Behind the Scenes
The study by the Institute for Government (IFG) noted the decision not to fire Hancock, who resigned as health secretary, and stated that in light of previous government discoveries, such as lobbying on behalf of Greensill Capital, Boris Johnson had allowed ministerial standards to deteriorate.
The Labour letter, signed by Charles Falconer, shadow attorney general, David Lammy, shadow justice secretary, and Nick Thomas-Symonds, shadow home secretary, states that Hancock’s communication with Coladangelo was not authorised under the social distancing guidelines in effect at the time.
“These are the rules and regulations which the vast majority of the British public made huge sacrifices to follow – including by missing birthdays, weddings and even funerals of close family members and friends,” it says.
“To maintain confidence in the criminal justice system, the public need to know that the law will apply equally to everyone irrespective of rank, job, or title. The footage of the former health secretary and his aide is clear evidence that the law on indoor gatherings was breached. It appears impossible to describe the gathering shown in the footage as reasonably necessary for the purposes of work.”
Matt Hancock Breaks Tory Unity
On 6 May, Hancock was seen in an embrace with Gina Coladangelo, a longtime acquaintance and non-executive director of Hancock’s health department.
According to sources, Matt Hancock neglected to inform Boris Johnson of a significant research that proved the Covid-19 vaccine is effective against the Delta variation in the run-up to a vital Freedom Day conference.
Mr Johnson met with Mr Hancock, Rishi Sunak, and Michael Gove last Sunday, and they agreed to postpone the reopening until 19 July due to the spread of the new variety discovered in India.
On 10 June, the health secretary allegedly viewed data in a Public Health England (PHE) research, but did not discuss it with senior ministers for three days.
According to the findings, the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were more effective against the Delta variant when people are full vaccinated.
The data was not included in briefing documents provided to Mr Johnson, Mr Sunak, and Mr Gove in preparation of the Freedom Day meeting last Sunday, according to the Sunday Telegraph.
They did not receive the data until 3 pm on Sunday, which was too close to the time of their meeting to be useful.
In an interview with the newspaper, Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the Conservative MPs’ Covid Recovery Group, said: “Either Matt Hancock thought this data was insignificant or he thought it should be withheld from the prime minister and other key ministers.
“Either way, the mind boggles at what conversation must now be necessary with the prime minister, and I feel confident it will be a matter of interest to my colleagues on the relevant select committees. If Matt Hancock was deliberately withholding relevant information, what was he trying to gain?”
Last week, Mr Johnson was obliged to publicly support Mr Hancock after former senior adviser Dominic Cummings published a series of text messages from the PM in which he dubbed the health secretary “hopeless.”
The data raises expectations that Mr Johnson will not reopen on 19 July, but rather on 5 July.
According to a government source, top ministers were presented with “identical data” from the PHE research.
The “equivalent” data was stated to have been compiled by Sage’s Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M) and to have contained statistics similar to the PHE’s results on vaccination effectiveness.
The source said: “When the decision was made to delay, ministers knew that the Covid-19 vaccine works. That is why we are buying more time to get more jabs in arms.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “Information which was provided by PHE was shared across Government before the meeting.
“Analysis and work on the scientific paper continued over the weekend before it was published as soon as it was ready on Monday.”
Steve Baker, the deputy chairman of the Covid Research Group of Conservative MPs, told the Telegraph: “If Matt Hancock was deliberately withholding relevant information, what was he trying to gain? Was the prime minister bounced?”
Senior ministers are allegedly furious with Hancock’s conduct and the manner in which the decision to postpone the end of limitations was made.
It is claimed that the customary Sage scientists’ modelling, demonstrating how a 21 June reopening would be damaging, was not supplied at the meeting attended by Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove, as well as Hancock and the prime minister.
According to reports, Hancock was briefed about the data on Thursday 10 June, before receiving it in writing on Saturday.
However, he did not provide the data until 3 pm on Sunday, just before the meeting, leaving little time for it to be considered.
However, a government source told the Telegraph that ministers were aware of the Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness since they were provided “identical data,” which was assumed to be from Sage’s Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling and had statistics similar to the PHE’s research.
Restraining the Delta Variant Is a Priority
Reportedly, a Department of Health spokesman has said: “Information which was provided by PHE was shared across government before the meeting.
“Analysis and work on the scientific paper continued over the weekend before it was published as soon as it was ready on Monday.
“The PHE data, which was based on 14,019 occurrences of the delta variation as well as hospitalisations, was made public last Monday after the delay was announced.
“According to PHE, the findings are “hugely important” and “show that the Covid-19 vaccine gives considerable protection against hospitalisation in patients suffering from the delta variant.”
