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23rd Nov 2020

Matt Hancock refuses to say whether he will accept a pay rise or not

Health secretary Matt Hancock could not say whether or not he would accept a pay rise as an MP when question by GMB's Piers Morgan

Reuben Pinder

Ah, this is why he never bothered going on GMB before

Matt Hancock has refused to say whether or not he would accept a pay rise as a member of parliament.

Speaking to Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain – a show he and other government ministers avoided for over 200 days – the health secretary attempted to swerve the question numerous times, but Morgan demanded an answer.

“Let’s see what the final recommendation is and then…” Hancock said before being interrupted by Morgan.

“Why can’t you just say now you won’t take a pay rise?” Morgan asked.

“Well… Erm,” Hancock laughed in awkwardness. “I know, I’ll promise to commit to come back on this programme immediately after that decision comes,” he suggested, as if that is in any way a fair compromise with the British public.

“This is not a difficult question. I don’t care if they give you one pound extra. You know as well as I do that no member of this government, in particular, in a year of a global pandemic when we have the worst death toll in Europe, and the worst economic meltdown in Europe, none of you should be taking a penny in a pay rise,” Morgan said, before asking him again whether he was prepared to commit to not taking an extra penny.

“I will answer this question when the pay policy has been set out by the chancellor because there’s lots of speculation in the newspapers…” Hancock said again before the pair went back and forth over whether that policy matters or not.

“It’s very tempting [to say I won’t take an extra penny], it’s very tempting Piers. However, I’m a stickler, for not prejudging things…” he said before being interrupted again.

Piers then gave him one more chance to answer the question and tell people what they want to hear.

He refused.