Matt Hancock: Tory Leadership Contest Should Be Focused On Delivering Brexit
24 June 2019, 10:54
Matt Hancock criticises the neighbours who passed a recording of Boris Johnson reportedly rowing with his partner to the Guardian, saying the leadership debate should be focussed on "issues of delivering Brexit".
The Health Secretary, who quit the leadership race himself after coming sixth in the first ballot of Tory MPs, said the idea that neighbours are recording your conversations made him feel "pretty uncomfortable".
Speaking to Nick Ferrari, Mr Hancock said: "Everybody's human, we all have rows and disagreements from time to time but what you don't want is somebody standing outside your door recording your conversation."
But he declined to answer whether he would have run the story if he worked at the Guardian because "it's not a matter for politicians".
"I'm not complaining about them running it, the question I've got is after the police said it was okay why did they phone the Guardian?"
Asked what he thought of Jeremy Hunt describing his rival as a coward for avoiding media scrutiny, Mr Hancock said it was a "mistake to go negative" in the campaign.
"We've got two excellent campaigns, both of whom would make superb Prime Ministers," he said.
"I'm backing Boris because I think he's got the best of delivering Brexit with a deal and then we can get onto the positive domestic agenda."
Watch above.
