07 March 2023 , 11:13
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Matt Hancock has been accused of being "drunk on power" over "despicable" leaked WhatsApps suggesting he discussed blocking cash for a learning disability hub to pressure a Tory MP not to rebel against Covid rules.
Newly released messages show the former Health Secretary and a top aide spoke about warning Bury North MP James Daly that a new centre in his constituency would be "off the table" if he opposed the government.
Ex-Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry, who has a son with additional needs, said they had behaved in an "absolutely despicable and appalling way" and accused Mr Hancock of being "drunk on power" during the pandemic.
But Mr Hancock's spokesman said "what's being accused here never happened" and rejected the "entirely partial account" based on leaked WhatsApps, published by the Telegraph.
The exchange in November 2020 shows Mr Hancock and political aide Allan Nixon discussing the introduction of new Covid restrictions ahead of a vote on December 1 2020.
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Former Tory chairman Jake Berry blasted the reports (PA)Mr Nixon said they need to "dangle our top asks" over some of the 2019 intake MPs as they sought to shore up support tiered Covid restrictions.
He gave the example: "James [Daly] wants his Learning Disability Hub in Bury - whips call him up and say Health team want to work with him to deliver this but that'll be off the table if he rebels."
He added: "These guys' re-election hinges on us in a lot of instances, and we know what they want. We should seriously consider using it IMO."
Mr Hancock replied: "Yes 100%".
Mr Daly told the Telegraph that he was "appalled" and "disgusted" that the disability hub was discussed but said the threat was never made to him.
He said: “They were never proposing to give it to me. I still don’t have it. Even though I have repeatedly campaigned for it, Hancock never showed the slightest bit of interest in supporting it.
"I had a number of conversations with Hancock at that time, but I can definitively say the hub was never mentioned.
“I think it is appalling. The fact that they would only give a much needed support for disabled people if I voted for this was absolutely disgusting.”
Ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Responding to the claims, Mr Hancock's spokesman said: "As we've repeatedly seen this last week, it is completely wrong to take this entirely partial account and write it up as fact.
"What's being accused here never happened, demonstrating the story is wrong, and showing why such a biased, partial approach to the evidence is a bad mistake, driven by those with a vested interest and an axe to grind.
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"The right place to consider everything about the pandemic objectively is in the public inquiry."
But Sir Jake said he should be hauled before the Commons to explain himself.
"Politics... is full of sort of arm twisting and leverage and cajoling," he told TimesRadio.
"But I actually think once you get to the point that you are weaponising the provision of care to disabled children, I think you have crossed the line and as a local MP and as I say a father with a son with additional needs, I know how desperately provision of this sort of care is required in the local area.
"And I just think it's an absolutely despicable and appalling way for Matt Hancock and his advisors to have behaved."
He added: "I think this clearly shows either someone who was prepared to do anything to get their own way, or someone kind of drunk on the power of ordering people around and telling people what to do.
"I think the danger is when the Government gets so used to telling people what to do like it did in Covid then they suddenly get very cross if people stop listening."
Downing Street said Rishi Sunak wants the official inquiry to look at all the relevant issues rather than relying on "piecemeal" information.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Funding decisions are taken in line with strict guidelines to ensure value for money set out in the spending framework and ministers and departments are held accountable for those decisions."
Asked if the alleged behaviour was not the way Mr Sunak would like his ministers to operate, the spokesman said: "Of course, and there's rules and guidelines that apply, which I've just outlined."