A MAN has been charged with assaulting former health secretary Matt Hancock on the London Underground.
The MP who appeared on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! was understood to have been unhurt after Tuesday's alleged incident which began at Westminster station before continuing on a Tube train.
A spokesman for Hancock, who represents West Suffolk, said it was an "unpleasant encounter."
The 61-year-old from Leyland in Lancashire, faces three counts - one of common assault and two public order offences - British Transport Police said.
He has been released on bail and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on February 22.
Hancock's spokesperson said: "Matt wants to put on record his thanks to TfL and the British Transport Police for their extraordinary work."
A video circulating online showed a transport worker supporting the MP throughout much of the incident.
The second public order offence relating to the West Suffolk MP is alleged to have taken place on January 19 in nearby Parliament Street.
Hancock, 44, was health secretary when the coronavirus pandemic struck and was a key figure in the lockdown restrictions and vaccine rollout that followed.
He resigned after a leaked CCTV image showed him kissing an adviser in his office, in breach of his own social distancing guidance.
Hancock angered colleagues and constituents by jetting to the Australian jungle to appear on the reality show, but won some sympathy from TV voters to come third.
After being stripped of the Conservative whip over the appearance, he said he would not contest his seat at the next election when he will step down.
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 hereComments are closed on this article