Hundreds of MPs and peers have downloaded the I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! so they can vote for Matt Hancock to face bushtucker trials, according to a cabinet minister.
The ex-health secretary is set to face his second trial after receiving the most public votes – having already being covered in insects in the “beastly burrows” challenge after entering the jungle.
Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris suggested many of Mr Hancock’s colleagues in parliament were gleefully voting to see him face further ordeals.
“There are hundreds of MPs and peers who have managed to – probably for the first time in some peers’ life – download an app to vote for somebody,” he told Times Radio. “So I’m assuming that doesn’t mean great things for Matt.”
The minister also told Sky News that there were “lots of people in a building not too far from here in the House of Commons and House of Lords who have downloaded a certain app to vote”.
Mr Heaton-Harris became the latest Tory to criticise Mr Hancock’s decision to appear on the show – saying the MP “should be here with us, voting and debating in parliament”.
He added: “I read this morning about how he wants to prove that all MPs are human, and that is true – all MPs are human. But I think we do that every day in our constituencies and in parliament.”
Mr Hancock leaving his fellow campmates somewhat disappointed after securing only six out of 11 stars in the “beastly burrows” challenge during Wednesday evening’s episode of the ITV reality show.
The MP for West Suffolk will now face the “tentacles of terror” trial, which is set to air in Thursday night’s show.
The ex-health secretary’s arrival caused unease among some of the contestants, as campmate Boy George was reduced to tears by Mr Hancock’s arrival – citing his mother’s serious illness during the pandemic.
He said: “I wasn’t allowed to see her. I thought she was going to die … I don’t want to be sitting here like I’m having fun with [Mr Hancock].”
The pop star added: “It’s difficult for me because … had something happened, if my mum had gone, I wouldn’t be here now. I would have gone when he walked in.”
Mr Hancock claimed British politics was stable enough to do without him for a while, and said Rishi Sunak would make a “great” prime minister.
Speaking with fellow campmate Charlene White, journalist and Loose Women presenter, the MP said decided to join the show because there was now “stability” in UK politics.
She replied: “But I can imagine it would not have gone down well at all at home? You have to expect that because Parliament is still sitting, we’re not in recess, you know?”
The MP told her: “I genuinely think that because we’ve now got sort of stability, that is…”
Ms White said: “We’ve had stability for all of five minutes Matt.” Mr Hancock replied: “Rishi’s great, he’ll be fine.”
