Politicians Are Not Celebrities: Matt Hancock’s Entrance into the Jungle
Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock is a household name for all the wrong reasons. Firstly, known for his daily presence on our screens, he guided us through challenging lockdown restrictions, and then so aptly broke them through his attendance at the now notorious Downing Street parties. Secondly, known for the CCTV footage capturing his affair with his aide Gina Coladangelo, which, surprise, surprise, also broke the legislation he set forth. And now, his name has unfortunately resurfaced once again announcing his appearance on this year’s season of ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’.
Regardless of the moral and political gripe I have with Matt Hancock, a current MP has no place on a popularised reality television show. This is especially the case for a show that sees you removed from society and plonked in a jungle approximately 10,000 miles away from your constituency. Although the line seems to be becoming increasingly blurred, the UK Parliament website defines an MP as “the person elected by all those who live in a particular area (constituency) to represent them in the House of Commons”. This means Matt Hancock is responsible for giving the concerns of his constituents a voice, yet this seems somewhat challenging to achieve while you’re earning ‘stars’ by eating a kangaroo penis in the jungle.
It was reported in 2007, by the House of Commons Modernisation Select Committee, that MPs receive an average of 300 letters a week from constituents. This is a number that excludes the countless telephone calls, emails and in person surgery visits they are also privy too. Despite Hancock striking a deal with producers to be alerted to urgent constituency matters, I am struggling to see how his trip to the jungle falls under his job description. During such a tumultuous time both politically and economically, surely the one thing constituents need is the dependable presence of their MP.
Of course, Matt Hancock would dispute this, arguing rather that his presence on the reality show is solely a positive force. His intention is to use this as a platform to raise awareness of dyslexia, a cause close to his heart. Despite being a matter of indisputable importance, there are other more appropriate means to draw attention to this. Especially considering that there is no guarantee that his airtime will relate to this cause. Reality TV is driven by the viewers and, to be frank, drama sells.
Just how inappropriate his decision to enter the jungle was can be accentuated by the removal of his Conservative whip, proving that there are consequences for those who fail to adhere to a party’s code of conduct. Despite this, it does not change the fact his constituents are left with an MP evading his job description and seemingly having a jolly in the jungle. Yet while my opinion on this matter extends to all MPs, we cannot ignore the Hancock specific public outrage that has ensued following the announcement. Countless people lost their loved ones to COVID-19 and Hancock’s mishandling of various aspects of the pandemic is frequently seen as causal. Revelations surrounding his disregard of the rules that he outlined sparked warranted rage, justified by the heartbreak of thousands, unable to say goodbye to their loved ones and burdened with the knowledge that many died alone. Some would say his appearance on the reality show is a kick in the teeth, seen as a blatant disregard of the suffering he caused.
Therefore, while this is not the first time an MP has entered the jungle, past precedent does not make it justifiable. Regardless of Matt Hancock’s alleged intentions, an active Member of Parliament should have nothing to do with a reality show of this sort. If he was finished with serving his constituents, with holding the title of MP, then there would be nothing stopping him partaking. Yet here we have a man with innumerable responsibilities rushing off to sing round the campfire in the jungle- make it make sense!
Image Credit: Flickr
