Matt Hancock to remain as Health Secretary in Boris Johnson cabinet
Matt Hancock will continue as Health Secretary (BT)
The LGBT-supportive MP Matt Hancock will continue as Health Secretary in Boris Johnson’s new cabinet, it was announced on Wednesday (July 24).
At least ten of his colleagues were sacked in what is the biggest cabinet clear-out in history without a change in party.
Hancock was by appointed to the role of Health Secretary by ex-prime minster Theresa May in July 2018. He has been the Tory MP for West Suffolk since 2010.
As an MP, Hancock has a good voting record on LGBT+ issues, consistently voting for equal LGBT+ rights and same-sex marriage over the past eight years.
Under Theresa May’s government, his department had begun a review into IVF equality for LGBT+ couples.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock pledged a review of IVF funding (Photo: Paul Grace)
Speaking at the PinkNews summer reception in Westminster on July 4, Hancock said that sexual orientation should not be a factor in access to IVF.
He pledged to address the “postcode lottery” that sees couples facing vastly different rules across the country.
“There is so much more to do, and each part of government has its role to play,” he said, “I, like so many of my colleagues, pledge to you that we will do our bit.”
It’s not yet known whether the promised review will continue under Boris Johnson’s leadership.
Hancock’s leadership bid was unsuccessful
Hancock launched his own brief bid for the Conservative leadership in June, but after dropping out he became an enthusiastic supporter of Boris Johnson.
Hancock had long been tipped to keep his cabinet role, or a similar senior position, when Johnson became Prime Minister.
Earlier this week he was strongly criticised for ‘burying’ certain health proposals, including those aimed at tackling drinking, smoking and poor diets, which Boris Johnson is opposed to.
This led to accusations that Hancock was trying to “curry favour” with Johnson in the run-up to his cabinet announcement.
