Matt Hancock has acknowledged that his affair with Gina Coladangelo damaged public confidence in Covid rules.The former health secretary was asked briefly about his “transgression” during his appearance at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Friday morning.Mr Hancock resigned as health secretary in June 2021 after footage emerged of him kissing his aide during a time of strict Covid rules.
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00:00 You obviously transgressed yourself and that came to light on June 21, 25th of June.
00:11 I'm sure you acknowledge the incredible offence and upset that was caused by that revelation.
00:18 In terms of the impact on public confidence, there were a number of transgressions in public life.
00:31 Overall, do you think that those breaches had an impact upon the public's propensity to adhere to rules?
00:40 And acknowledging, of course, that by June 2021 we were out of the worst. There was, in May '21,
00:48 the tail end of the regulations and guidance in place. But overall, it was damaging.
00:54 Well, what I'd say is that the lesson for the future is very clear and it is important that those who make the rules abide by them
01:11 and I resign in order to take accountability for my failure to do that.
01:16 And that, to your credit, must have been in reflection of the fact that you understood the importance of,
01:22 or the deleterious consequences of rule breaking or guidance breaking on public confidence and the public at large.
01:28 Yes.