Councillors React to Hancock’s Decision Not to Stand for Re-election
A Conservative councillor from Matt Hancock’s West Suffolk constituency has stated that it was “inevitable” the former health secretary would not seek re-election following his participation in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Mr Hancock was stripped of the Conservative whip after news of his reality TV stint broke. In a letter released on Wednesday, he confirmed he would not stand for the Conservatives in the next general election, leading to varied reactions from local party members.
West Suffolk Tory councillor Ian Houlder commented, “He was up the creek without a paddle regarding his position as MP for West Suffolk. He’s clearly exploring his options, and understandably, he’s gone for the money.” Houlder speculated that Hancock would remain in his role until the election, likely a couple of years away, and then pursue other interests as outlined in his letter.
Houlder acknowledged Hancock’s desire to rebuild his life, saying, “That’s very commendable, so I hope he can do it. But he’s not in a hurry to do it, is he?”
Another local Conservative, Lance Stanbury, representing Mildenhall division, expressed similar sentiments, asserting that Hancock’s departure from the political scene was expected. “He faced significant criticism from local party members and lost the whip. He had to think about his future within the party and, given there’s little chance of a return to government, I believe he made a decision that suits him.”
Stanbury also mentioned a letter sent by Terry Wood, president of the West Suffolk Conservative Association, to Tory chief whip Simon Hart, which allegedly claimed Hancock was “not fit to represent this constituency.” Stanbury clarified that no executive council members had been consulted on this matter and believed the letter lacked proper authority.
“There should be a discussion on such a major issue by the executive council,” he stated, arguing that the actions taken were not representative of the entire association.
Despite the turmoil, Stanbury suggested he believed Hancock might regain the whip and continue as MP until the next election. Meanwhile, Andy Drummond, chairman of Newmarket Conservatives, refrained from commenting on Hancock’s decision, stating he needed more time to process the situation. “We’ll probably have an officer group and publish something on our website,” Drummond added.
