Matt Hancock has had ‘more comebacks than Mike Tyson’: Author roasts former health secretary

An author roasted former health secretary Matt Hancock on Sky News this morning by saying he’s had more comebacks than boxer Mike Tyson.

Author and journalist Genelle Aldred took part in this morning’s paper review on Sky News alongside broadcaster Anne Diamond.

Speaking about a story from The Guardian weighing up whether or not we could see Hancock return to government, Aldred said the West Suffolk MP seems keen to make a comeback, adding: “What kind of comeback, we don’t know”.

She said: “He’s had the unseeable CCTV embrace, we saw he was at the Number 10 cheese and wine gate party allegedly, although he said he’s not clear it’s him and I think if someone’s not clear if it’s them in a photo we do wonder in public life what they are capable of.”

She also spoke about how his job offer at the UN was withdrawn, and how he made an appearance on This Morning earlier this month.

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“There’s something about power that seems to be alluring him and pulling him back,” she said, “but I think he’s had a few more comebacks than Mike Tyson and I’m not sure whether a full return to a ministerial capacity or full public life is really seriously on the cards for him, although he seems to think it might be.”

When asked by host Niall Paterson if it’s ever worthwhile for a politician who has suffered such “disgrace” to try and make their way back into frontline politics, Aldred said if she were him she would be asking herself some serious questions about how her competency would be perceived and if she would be taken seriously.

She said: “We want to take our politicians seriously, we want to believe the things that they say and unfortunately for him he’s been caught in a steady stream of compromising situations where it seems like we can’t trust what he says and we can’t trust what he does, and so he might want to return to power but I think the question for every MP and public servant is, is it good for them to be in power?

“And that’s the question I think he should ask himself.”

Oof.