Banner blasts Hancock over Covid

The 35m-long banner read ‘COVID BEREAVED SAY GET OUT OF HERE!’ in protest and the sitting MP’s decision to appear on the hit ITV reality television show.

38 Degrees and Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, the groups behind the banner, had hit out at how Hancock was being paid a reported £400,000 to appear on the program.

Lobby Akinnola from Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, who lost his father to Covid-19, says: “Matt Hancock isn’t a ‘celebrity’, he’s the former health secretary who oversaw the UK having one of the highest death tolls in the world from Covid-19 whilst breaking his own lockdown rules.

“He’s the man we wrote to over a year ago asking him to pass over his private Gmail emails relating to the handling of the pandemic to the new health secretary in readiness for the Covid Inquiry. He’s the man who didn’t even respond to us.

“He's claimed the inquiry will set the record straight, but it can only get to the truth if it has the evidence it needs. He should be at home sending in those emails rather than being rewarded with £400,000 for not doing his job.

“His transparent attempt to sell more books and cleanse his public profile has failed, just like the “protective ring” he dared to suggest he had placed around care homes.”

38 Degrees chief executive Matthew McGregor adds: “No one has forgotten how Matt Hancock conducted himself during the Covid-19 pandemic: not the general public, not his campmates, and certainly not those who lost loved ones.

“Our message emblazoned across the skies makes crystal clear to Matt Hancock:  you should be representing the people of West Suffolk and giving Covid Bereaved Families the answers they deserve, rather than playing games for dingo dollars, plastic stars and a £400,000 paycheck.”