Niall Horan slams ‘smug and slippery’ Matt Hancock over coronavirus response

Horan's rare political statement earned praise from fans

Niall Horan has slammed health secretary Matt Hancock over the UK’s handling of coronavirus, writing that he “thinks he’s a lot more intelligent than he actually is”.

The former One Direction star tweeted his distrust of the Conservative MP, while urging him to be open and transparent about the pandemic.

“I get the idea that Health secretary Matt Hancock thinks he’s a lot more intelligent than he actually is,” Horan wrote. “Always very smug and slippery.”

He continued: “Excuse me but Matt you’ve had a major howler here and it’s about time you handed facts out instead of worrying about what the opposition thinks.”

Horan’s tweet were met with praise by fans, one writing: “Niall for president”, and another adding: “King of using his platform to talk about important topics, I have to stan even harder.”

Earlier this week, actor Hugh Grant also used Twitter to condemn the health secretary, after sharing a clip of Hancock’s appearance on This Morning.

The clip showed presenter Phillip Schofield asking Hancock whether it is correct that people could see both of their parents separately 10 minutes apart, in accordance with lockdown guidelines.

Horan’s tweet about health secretary Matt Hancock (Twitter)

“Don’t you see that that’s utterly bonkers,” Schofield asked, with Grant tweeting in response: “It is. They are. We’re f***ed.”