Matt Hancock could be 'kicked out of Parliament for good' over I'm A Celebrity appearance
19 November 2022, 07:33 | Updated: 19 November 2022, 07:35
Matt Hancock could have lost his seat as a Conservative MP for good after appearing on I'm A Celebrity, according to reports.
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Former health secretary Mr Hancock was suspended from the Conservative party after he decided to appear in the ITV reality show - meaning he is currently an independent MP.
All Conservative MPs have until December 5 to decide whether or not they want to run in the next general election.
But Tory insiders think it's doubtful that Mr Hancock will have the whip reinstated by that point - which would mean the West Suffolk MP could not run as a Conservative in the next election.
"It seems clear that he’s decided he won’t be the candidate at the next election anyway so he’s gone off to make some money," a senior Conservative MP told the Times.
"That’s fine. But then he should stand down so the party can start selecting someone else.
"If I was Simon Hart [the chief whip] I’d be asking whether Matt’s actions warrant returning the whip."
If Mr Hancock made the final, the cut-off point would be one week after he came back from the jungle.
If he does not have the whip back by that point, his West Suffolk constituency will have to choose a new candidate to represent it at the next election.
Many Conservatives, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said they were unhappy with Mr Hancock's decision to enter the jungle.
The head of his local Conservative association Andy Drummond, said at the time: :I’m looking forward to him eating a kangaroo’s penis. Quote me. You can quote me that."
It comes after Mr Hancock survived the first eviction on I'm A Celebrity on Friday, as viewers chose to evict Charlene White, despite predictions he could be the first to go.
The two had an awkward moment as she earlier refused to share an RV with Mr Hancock, saying she is an "impartial journalist" and noting he could become a minister again in the future.
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She had been entitled to stay in it as his deputy during his time as camp leader.
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That came amid drama in the camp when Boy George told comedian Seann Walsh he could not stand Mr Hancock.
"I have tried to like him and I've failed. I find him slimy, I find him slippery," the Culture Club singer said.
