Angela Rayner has slammed Matt Hancock's appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here as "offensive".
The deputy leader of the Labour Party appeared on ITV's This Morning today, where she spoke with hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield about the Tory MP's decision to head into the jungle. He will take on his first trial tonight, alongside other late entry comedian Seann Walsh, as they get covered in slime and bugs.
Appearing on the ITV show this morning, Ms Rayner insisted Mr Hancock should be in parliament rather than "squirming around with maggots". Mr Hancock has defended his decision to go on the show, for what is a reported £400,000 fee, insisting he wants to reach voters in new way and raise awareness of campaigns and issues important to him.
Asked what was different about Mr Hancock's jungle stint, compared to the other interests of other MPs, Ms Rayner said: "We should be in parliament. Last night, yesterday, I was in parliament voting on the triple lock for pensioners, looking at integrity in the Home Office and also I was at an event about Bangladeshis in the UK, the entrepreneurs adding to our economy.
"These are what politicians do. My diary is rammed. I don't think you should be squirming around with maggots."
When Holly suggested Mr Hancock might defend himself by saying he is bringing politics to a new audience, Ms Rayner laughed before adding: "They just want to see him eat a kangaroo anus. There are times when you can get your message across but this is not a platform. It's that old saying, what £400,000 figure attracted you to go in the jungle.
"I don't think it's something that is going to give a platform for serious political debate and dealing with the current issues facing us."
Ms Rayner also said it was a particularly "offensive" time for the Tory MP to head in the jungle, as the Covid inquiry takes place.
"I think it's really offensive when last week, the Covid inquiry - and he was the health secretary during the pandemic - and some serious questions about that. People will be rightly angry that he's laughing and joking in the jungle at a time when they're actually thinking what did you do to protect my loved one during that period," she added.
In his entry interview, Mr Hancock defended his decision, insisting he could engage with young people.
"There are lots of different ways to communicate with the public and we (politicians) are wrong if we think you can only do that on the traditional political shows where you are mainly only talking to people who take an active interest in politics," he said.
"It’s important we engage with everyone including young people in who our politicians are and this programme is a good way to do that. I am looking forward to it." Once the show is over, he vowed to be back "holding surgeries and in Parliament".
