{"id":131936,"date":"2021-06-26T14:33:36","date_gmt":"2021-06-26T18:33:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=131936"},"modified":"2021-06-26T14:33:36","modified_gmt":"2021-06-26T18:33:36","slug":"uk-health-minister-resigns-after-breaching-coronavirus-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/uk-health-minister-resigns-after-breaching-coronavirus-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"UK health minister resigns after breaching coronavirus rules"},"content":{"rendered":"
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U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock resigned Saturday, a day after apologizing for breaching social distancing rules with an aide with whom he was he was allegedly having an affair.<\/p>

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The tabloid Sun newspaper had run images showing Hancock, who is married, and senior aide Gina Coladangelo kissing in an office at the Department of Health. The Sun said the closed circuit television images were taken May 6 \u2014 11 days before lockdown rules were eased to allow hugs and other physical contact with people outside one\u2019s own household.<\/p>\n

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In a resignation letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Hancock said the government owed \u201cit to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down.\u201d<\/p>

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Johnson said he was \u201csorry\u201d to receive Hancock\u2019s resignation and that he \u201cshould leave office very proud of what you have achieved \u2014 not just in tackling the pandemic, but even before COVID-19 struck us.\u201d<\/p>

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Johnson had been facing widespread calls to fire Hancock, who has led the country\u2019s response to the pandemic.<\/p>\n

The Sun late Friday also published a video of the embrace, which had prompted the main opposition Labour Party to deem his position \u201chopelessly untenable.\u201d Some Conservative lawmakers had also called on Hancock to quit because he wasn\u2019t practicing what he has
\nbeen preaching during the pandemic.<\/p>

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\u201cThe last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading us out of this crisis,\u201d Hancock said in his letter of resignation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to reiterate my apology for breaking the guidance, and apologize to my family and loved ones for putting them through this,\u201d he said. \u201cI also need (to) be with my children at this time.\u201d<\/p>

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