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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Rufus Pickles

Police charge man with assaulting Matt Hancock on London Underground

A MAN has been charged with assaulting former health secretary Matt Hancock on the London Underground.

The MP who appeared on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! was understood to have been unhurt after Tuesday's alleged incident which began at Westminster station before continuing on a Tube train.

A spokesman for Hancock, who represents West Suffolk, said it was an "unpleasant encounter."

The 61-year-old from Leyland in Lancashire, faces three counts - one of common assault and two public order offences - British Transport Police said.

He has been released on bail and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on February 22.

Hancock's spokesperson said: "Matt wants to put on record his thanks to TfL and the British Transport Police for their extraordinary work."

A video circulating online showed a transport worker supporting the MP throughout much of the incident. 

The second public order offence relating to the West Suffolk MP is alleged to have taken place on January 19 in nearby Parliament Street.

Hancock, 44, was health secretary when the coronavirus pandemic struck and was a key figure in the lockdown restrictions and vaccine rollout that followed. 

He resigned after a leaked CCTV image showed him kissing an adviser in his office, in breach of his own social distancing guidance.

Hancock angered colleagues and constituents by jetting to the Australian jungle to appear on the reality show, but won some sympathy from TV voters to come third.

After being stripped of the Conservative whip over the appearance, he said he would not contest his seat at the next election when he will step down.

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