"Clearly the social distancing rules are there for everyone and they are incredibly important and they are deadly serious, and the reason is that they are the means by which we have managed to get control of this virus," - Matt Hancock on how Neil Ferguson was right to resign over an affair which breached social distancing guidelines.
There are arguments that Matt Hancock does not need to resign over his affair with Gina Coladangelo. His actions were a betrayal of the trust his wife placed in him, but his affair is a personal matter.
Also, there are precedents, one where Priti Patel did not resign despite allegations of being a bully. Another involves the Prime Minister himself when it came to the relationship he had with Jennifer Arcuri which he did not feel he needed to disclose. And the most famous of breaches, was by Dominic Cummings when he drove miles to check his sight.
Let us face it, there are social distancing guidelines, this being a reason why the protests about the murder of Sarah Everard were broken up. Matt Hancock is going to be seen by many as breaking them and this will be used as many that social distancing guidelines do not need to be followed, despite the pressure that the relaxation of them is causing the NHS, not just with COVID-19, but with other infections as well.
If Matt Hancock decides to follow the example of Professor Neil Ferguson, it will mean that there will be more pressure on others to do the same.
