By Caroline Taix
From Westminster to the Australian jungle, among scorpions and snakes: Matt Hancock, former British health minister, has become the one everyone is talking about in a few days, participating in a reality show, which infuriates many of his colleagues.
The show “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” on ITV has had a special flavor since Matt Hancock, 44, still an MP, joined the cast. The idea is simple: celebrities gathered in a particularly hostile part of Australia must complete challenges and avoid being eliminated by spectators during their stay.
In one week, the former health minister, who was in government when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, had to eat kangaroo testicles, had its slime sprayed on him, had to deal with spiders and cockroaches, faced a impressive snake in attack position, was stung by a scorpion, etc… The public, who vote, did not spare him. Not even his colleagues in Westminster: “There are quite a few people (…) in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, who have downloaded a certain application to be able to vote”, revealed the minister responsible for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris. “I’m not sure that’s a good thing.” Matt Hancock has been suspended by the Conservative Party due to his appearance on this programme. It’s hard to escape these adventures, which make the front page of the press and even appear on the news, in a surprising mix of genres as Matt Hancock, from his jungle, indulges in comments on British politics.
But why did the honorable member do this to himself? For Mark Garnett, professor of politics at Lancaster University, Matt Hancock “didn’t have much to lose. (…) His political career was probably over anyway”. Having become a familiar face to the British through press conferences during the pandemic, Matt Hancock was forced to resign after a political, sentimental and health scandal.
At the end of June 2021, the tabloid The Sun published video surveillance images showing the minister, married and father of three children, passionately kissing his adviser, at a time when even simple hugs were prohibited. “Many believe that his bad work as health minister has caused preventable deaths,” says Mark Garnett. On Tuesday, a plane with a message meant for Matt Hancock flew over the jungle for two hours: “Covid mourners say: +Get out of here+.” Matt Hancock has given several reasons for his participation in the show, which brings together millions of viewers every night. He would have liked to use this showcase to talk about his campaign against dyslexia. He also wanted to “go where the people are, not the ivory towers of Westminster”. “There are so few ways for politicians to prove they’re human beings,” he said on the show. Matt Hancock would receive, according to the press, 400,000 pounds (456,300 euros) to participate in “I am a celebrity…”, a show that lasts just a month. “If he wins the show, (…) he could have a career in television when he no longer has any options for a career in politics,” explains Mark Garnett.
On 1 November, Conservative Party disciplinary officer Simon Hart announced that the matter was “serious enough to order his suspension with immediate effect”. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did not hide his displeasure. “I think politics, in its best form, can and should be noble,” he replied to reporters who questioned him on the subject. “It’s up to all members of parliament to do the things that earn people’s respect.”
Opposition politicians have asked Matt Hancock to waive his parliamentary allowance. He is not the first politician to participate in this program. Nadine Dorries was also suspended from the Conservative Party in 2012 for agreeing to be there. That hasn’t stopped her from becoming Culture Minister in Boris Johnson’s government in 2021.
