Transport Secretary Mark Harper slammed the former health secretary for agreeing to fly to Australia to take part in the jungle show.
He told Sky News: "As a former chief whip, I very much support the decision that was taken which is Members of Parliament's first responsibility when Parliament is sitting is to serve their constituents.
"The Chief Whip has made the position clear which is he has made a decision that going on I'm a Celebrity is not compatible with doing your job properly as a Member of Parliament which is why the whip has been taken away." He declined to express a view on whether there should now be a by-election in Mr Hancock’s West Suffolk constituency, saying: “What he chooses to do in the future is a matter for him.”
Mr Hancock, who earns £84,144-a-year as an MP, sought to defend his decision to fly more than 10,000 miles to join the ITV show, which starts on Sunday.
He argued that it was “a great opportunity to talk directly to people who aren’t always interested in politics”.
This story is from the November 02, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the November 02, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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