Tory MP says release of Hancock’s message was done for ‘personal gain’

Matt Hancock released his personal WhatsApp exchanges to a journalist for “personal gain,” a Tory MP has said.

The former health secretary entrusted journalist Isabel Oakeshott with more than 100,000 of his messages while they were collaborating on his Pandemic Diaries book.

The broadcaster then leaked the texts to the Daily Telegraph, some of which allege that Mr Hancock ignored expert advice to test for all residents going into English care homes for Covid when he was a minister.

“I think that was done for personal gain, and I’m sorry about that,” Tobias Ellwood said.

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