28 Jun 2021

Covid-19: UK health secretary quits over breaking social distancing

From Morning Report, 6:18 am on 28 June 2021

The fallout continues following the resignation of Britain's health secretary, Matt Hancock, who breached his government's own social distancing guidelines by kissing an advisor he'd hired.

Pictures of Hancock's embrace with aide Gina Coladangelo unleashed a storm of public anger and ridicule. He's left his ministerial job and his marriage but remains an MP.

In a video message on Twitter, Hancock said he accepted that everyone should follow the social distancing rules.

The government, meanwhile, has launched an inquiry into how the CCTV footage of the embrace was released.

UK correspondent Vincent McAviney spoke to Corin Dann.