JUSTICE Secretary Robert Buckland has said Matt Hancock “frankly worked without a break” to tackle the coronavirus pandemic as health secretary.

Hancock quit the role after images and video showed him in an embrace with close aide Gina Coladangelo last month.

Buckland told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Matt Hancock is no longer the health secretary – he resigned on Saturday, and I’m amazed we’re having a discussion like this.

“He resigned because he considered the matter carefully, he could see the issue of credibility was one that was really majoring.

“Matt Hancock had been I think an incredibly hard-working health secretary over the last three years, in fact, but in the last 16 months somebody who frankly worked without a break to deal with this crisis.”

Asked about Boris Johnson’s delay in getting rid of the Cabinet minister, Buckland told Sky News: “I think there was a swirl of things going on here.

“There were of course the private life matters and indeed as the hours went by it was clear there was, I think, an understandable groundswell of concern about how important it is that those who set the rules keep to them.

“It took a day or so but the right outcome was achieved and it was correct for Matt Hancock to resign.”

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Buckland also said he is confident “due process” was followed in appointing Coladangelo to a paid role at the Department of Health and Social Care.

He added: “Everything that I understand so far leads me to believe due process was followed in the appointment of this person and any declarations that should’ve been made were made.

“I have information that suggests due process was followed and I have no reason to doubt or dispute that.”

But pressed on when Hancock’s relationship began with the aide, Buckland said: “I’m confident that due process was followed and that declarations were made, as to when the relationship began I’m afraid I don’t know.”

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Hancock wrote to Boris Johnson on Friday and said: “The last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading us out of this crisis.”

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said there must be “full transparency” and a “full investigation” amid claims Hancock used a private Gmail account.

She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “I’ve written to ensure that there is an investigation into ministers using private emails to conduct official Government business in secret, agreeing contracts in private etc.”

She added: “We need full transparency on this and a full investigation.”

Buckland said ministers must use Government emails instead of Gmail, adding: “We should use Government emails, I think that’s very clear.

“I think the Cabinet Office, if they’re asked to look at this, they probably will be, will need to satisfy themselves that if that was the case then the material is available.”