'We went MONTHS without hugging our families!': Piers Morgan joins UK in outrage at Matt Hancock after CCTV exposes him kissing aide 'at a time he was telling public to follow Covid rules'
Furious Britons took to social media this morning to rage at Matt Hancock after CCTV exposed him kissing an aide - while telling the UK to stick to social distancing rules.
The Health Secretary, 42, was caught on camera in a passionate clinch with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.
The incident is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year - the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.
The kiss was also 13 days before the Government relaxed safety regulations including giving permission to hug.
In response, hundreds of people took to Twitter to give their views on the scandal, with many accusing the minister of hypocrisy, while others revealed the heartbreaking sacrifices they've made in order to stick to the rules.
Piers Morgan also joined the outrage, highlighted the fact the incident was 'at the time he was ordering the British people not to hug anyone from other households'.
This is the image that has left Matt Hancock fighting for his job today that appears to show him kissing his millionaire aide - who is on the public payroll - in the corridor outside his office in May this year
One social media user wrote: 'There are people that genuinely went months and months without hugging their families after following the advice of Matt Hancock... quite sad really!'
Another added: 'To be crystal clear, this picture was taken with 2m social distancing rules still in place at workplaces. The issue here is not Matt Hancock's infidelity - it's his world-beating hypocrisy. Write the rules. Tell the little people to obey. Then break them with impunity.'
A third tweeted: 'On 8th May, I didn't hug my aunt when I found out my dad had terminal cancer. Meanwhile on 6th May, Matt Hancock (the man who told me it was unsafe to hug) was all over his mistress in a Government building. So many times the COVID story has jumped the shark, but now enough.'
Nigel Farage was also involved, as he wrote: 'I had wanted to go to my daughter's school prize-giving next week but can only do so online. Yet thousands of Football Officials can come to the UK without quarantine and Matt Hancock can completely ignore social distancing rules.'
As Downing Street begins to deal with the fallout, the Health Secretary ran for cover and cancelled a public appearance today as he fought for his job.
In a statement, Mr Hancock said: 'I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances.
'I have let people down and am very sorry.
'I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter.'
At the time the image was captured, Mr Hancock is said to have checked the corridor is clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace.
The Sun claims they have been having an affair that has been the talk of the department - but it is not known if they remain in a relationship that was a secret until today.
Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, 44, and the couple have three children together.
Mrs Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple's home in north London this morning but didn't speak to reporters about her husband's alleged infidelity.
Her husband was nowhere to be seen, however, she was still wearing her wedding ring.
They were last seen together in public at the England vs Scotland Euro 2020 match at Wembley a week ago.
Communications director and lobbyist Mrs Coladangelo is a mother-of-three, whose husband Oliver Tress is the founder of clothing shop Oliver Bonas.
The shutters were closed at their £4.5million South London home this morning. She has been working as an advisor for Mr Hancock with one source saying: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina'.
Martha Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple's north London home this morning after claims that her husband has been having a secret affair. She didn't comment
Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, with whom he has three children
Mrs Coladangelo (pictured here with husband Oliver Tress - the founder of the Oliver Bonas clothing chain), who is a director and shareholder at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon
Matt Hancock smiles and laughs at his alleged lover as they leave the BBC after appearing on the Marr show in June
Mrs Coladangelo is friends with Matt Hancock's wife on Facebook and they have spent time together socially.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for the Health Secretary. A friend of Mr Hancock's reportedly told The Sun they had 'no comment' on the matter, but that 'no rules' had been breached.
Other sources claimed that Mr Hancock hopes to survive - but No 10 is yet to comment.
But a Whitehall whistleblower who leaked the footage and reportedly no longer works for the department, told the newspaper it was 'shocking that Mr Hancock was having an affair in the middle of a pandemic with an adviser and friend he used public money to hire'.
The alleged affair piles even more pressure on Mr Hancock, who was already reportedly battling for his job over his handling of the pandemic Dominic Cummings released WhatsApp messages from the PM that showed Mr Johnson branded him 'f***ing useless'.
Aside from the serious allegations of an affair, there will also be questions to answer about kissing someone outside his bubble during the pandemic and whether this breaches any of the Covid rules he has helped create.
Mr Hancock, who is yet to comment, has cancelled an event in his West Suffolk constituency this morning where he would have faced questions over the affair and whether he can keep his job.
He also deleted an Instagram post from last night where he said he 'works with some brilliant women'.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said today it was an 'entirely personal' matter for his cabinet colleague.
He told LBC radio: 'I have seen the photo but, as ever with private matters, I always try to avoid commenting on other people's personal lives and I think I'll stick with that tradition here.'
Asked whether the Health Secretary should have been 'ignoring social distancing', Mr Shapps replied: 'I'm quite sure that whatever the rules were at the time were followed.
'You'll recall that there was a point at which social distancing rules were changed but, as I say, I don't want to comment on somebody else's private life - that is for them.'
Matt Hancock's glamorous mother-of-three 'lover' Gina Coladangelo, 43, is married to the millionaire behind Oliver Bonas and boasts a string of celebrity friends
The woman Matt Hancock has been allegedly having an affair with is a millionaire communications director of fashion firm Oliver Bonas, which was the brainchild of her husband.
Gina Coladangelo works for the company her spouse Oliver Tress founded - while also being Mr Hancock's closest aide. The mother of three, 43, is a major shareholder - as well as director - of the lobbying firm Luther Pendragon.
Mrs Coladangelo, who lives with her husband and their three children in South West London, appointment to the Department of Health in March 2020 by Mr Hancock sparked uproar due to her outside interests.
Mr Hancock and Mrs Coladangelo, who it was revealed last night have allegedly been having an affair, first met at Oxford University while working on student radio together.
She studied politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford between 1995 and 1998, the same as Mr Hancock.
Despite them knowing each other and apparently maintaining their friendship, Mr Hancock married Martha Millar in 2006, with whom he now has three children.
Mrs Coladangelo has been spotted leaving Downing Street with the Health Secretary on a number of occasions. A source told the Sunday Times last year: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina. She knows everything.'
But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to £15,000 from the taxpayer.
She was an unpaid adviser for Mr Hancock but claims of 'chumocracy' emerged in November when it was revealed she was attending confidential meetings.
Mrs Coladangelo was made a non-executive director at the Department for Health in September. She shows off the role on her LinkedIn page and has to 'oversee and monitor performance'.
She says: 'I have over twenty years' experience in business management and marketing and communications, with a focus on retail, healthcare, the third sector and energy.
'Marketing expertise across media relations, consumer campaigns, social media, digital strategy, strategic collaborations, internal communications, issues management and public affairs.'
Away from work, Mrs Coladangelo has three children - Talia, Bruno and Layla. In 2012 she told the Daily Mail how she had returned to work while being a mother.
She paid for a live-in nanny at their home in south-west London and worked flexible hours.
Mrs Coladangelo said: 'I don't worry about my children being closer to their nanny, because I spend as much time as I can with them.
Mrs Coladangelo said: 'I don't worry about my children being closer to their nanny, because I spend as much time as I can with them.'I would never dream of telling other mothers what to do with their lives. Every woman has to make her own choice.
'I would never dream of telling other mothers what to do with their lives. Every woman has to make her own choice.'But I feel very fortunate in my education and believe those years shouldn't be wasted. I want to work to give something back.'
'But I feel very fortunate in my education and believe those years shouldn't be wasted. I want to work to give something back.'Her husband Oliver gave an interview to the Financial Times in November 2015 and spoke about their house. He said: 'Our indulgence was moving to a bigger home in Wandsworth in September. We barely had a garden in Clapham, but the new house has a bigger garden and more space downstairs.
'We might be able to build an extension. The mortgage will still be pretty considerable, as retail businesses are not necessarily throwing up a lot of cash. I am not a tycoon.'
Matt Hancock for Love Island! Health Secretary is mocked on social media in string of memes after he was caught in clinch with his closest aide
Matt Hancock has been mocked on Twitter today after a leaked CCTV image showed him in a passionate clinch with his closest aide.
Hilarious memes shared online today include Mr Hancock's face pasted over Little Britain's seedy politician character Sir Norman Fry and as a contestant in the dating show Love Island.
Another shows the Health Secretary, 43, jumping over railings during a run with the caption: 'Hancock when his wife saw the CCTV.'
Mr Hancock was caught on camera with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.
The incident is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year - the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.
Another meme showed an edited picture of former Number 10 aide Dominic Cummings at the helm of a CCTV systems base, with the caption: 'CCTV of Matt Hancock having an affair? No prizes for guessing who leaked that then.'
The identity of the Whitehall whistleblower who leaked the footage remains unknown.
Hilarious memes shared online today include Mr Hancock a contestant in the dating show Love Island
As news broke this morning, Twitter was flooded with memes mocking the Health Secretary for his extra-marital affair
Another meme featured an image of Mr Hancock rubbing his eyes during a television interview. The caption reads: 'Matt Hancock when his wife leaves him'
Other memes featured pictures of meerkats and Phoebe from Friends shouting 'my eyes'