A VOCAL Brexiteer and political commentator has been mocked after suggesting The Sun’s video of Matt Hancock kissing close aide Gina Coladangelo had been “doctored”.
Isabel Oakeshott, who is vigorously opposed to Covid-19 restrictions and called masks “muzzles”, shared the CCTV footage of the Health Secretary with the non-executive director, asking people to look at the “extra hand on his lover’s back”.
The commentator wrote: “The video of [Matt Hancock] appears to have been doctored. Look at the extra hand on his lover’s back, 9 seconds in?? perhaps it doesn’t matter, as he’s admitted it all, but curious nonetheless …”
This video of @MattHancock appears to have been doctored. Look at the extra hand on his lover’s back, 9 seconds in?? Perhaps it doesn’t matter, as he’s admitted it all, but curious nonetheless… https://t.co/YoSQOR7OcO
— Isabel Oakeshott (@IsabelOakeshott) June 25, 2021
One wonders if right-wing commentators would suggest the same if a Labour or SNP minister had been implicated in this way. Anyway …
Fellow journalists mocked Oakeshott for her post, with the Financial Times’ Henry Mance joking: “Also the words The Sun are suspended in the air over and over.”
“I don’t understand: you mean the person who devised this video and made it so convincing that Hancock felt forced to admit it, put an extra hand in?” asked another commentator.
READ MORE: Matt Hancock news: Dominic Cummings points to 'conspicuously silent' journalists
“Maybe it is time you drove to Barnard Castle?” suggested Fionna O’Leary. “It’s her hand.”
Edward Norman joked: “He does appear to be snogging her but that could be his spare head.”
Any suspicion over whether the footage is doctored is entirely irrelevant given Hancock has apologised. Would you apologise for something you hadn't done?
But hey – some people will complete fantastic feats of mental gymnastics to prevent the Westminster elites from being held to account.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel