Matt Hancock is such a donkey

[Polly02]

Listening to him now on Radio 4 trying to big up what government is doing. Turning negatives into crazy unbelievable positives.

Who does he think he’s kidding?

The way they are handling the public and press is awful. They announce something, which sounds great but then it isn't delivered and have to spend weeks fielding questions about it (PPE and testing).

They can't seem to stop LYING (see Brexit and elections). If they just told us the truth- this is hard, we have no PPE, I think the public would be more sympathetic.

Mind you, they fucked it all up at the start, we are on track to have the worst death rate in Europe.

Telegraph and the Guardian reporting that BoJo will be back next week!!
That'll take the heat of Hancock on here for a while.

They've said many, many, many times that it's hard to source PPE and there's a global shortage with everyone battling to get it.

At the beginning there was PPE but the distribution was not efficient- the army came in and sorted that- but they're burning through PPE rapidly.

I also wouldn't want to be his shoes for all the tea in China, I see a man doing the best he can under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
Of course the government have made mistakes during this crisis as have governments all over the world to varying degrees, however, this is a time for people to collaborate and share resources, it is not a time for bickering and point scoring.

I think he is a genuine person trying to do his best.

Sorry, but no, this is the last thing he is. When he was a leadership contender in the summer he campaigned on the basis that we shouldn't leave the EU without a deal. Once he was defeated he transferred his allegiance to Johnson, whose stance was 'leave come what may.' During the election in December Hancock was everywhere with his 'Get Brexit done' message. The man has no principles whatsoever and has signed up to something he knows is incredibly damaging to the country in order to further his career. The very worst kind of politician - he's repulsive and turns my stomach. Yes, he's being used as a scapegoat and it's not fair, but it just goes to show - lie down with dogs and not only might you get fleas but they may tear your face off if they get fed up with you.

His performance this morning was awful - pretending Hussein had said "Why can't we come out of lockdown now?" and getting the arse with her for 'interrupting' when she was clearly trying to get him to answer the question she had actually asked rather than the one he wanted to answer.

They can't seem to stop LYING

Yes! Its the lying!

(Disclaimer...yes yes yes i know other political parties and politicians would be lying like hairy eggs as well, just before someone jumps in with ‘labour’ would be telling much worse lies)

I actually think his heart's in the right place and he's trying his best. He's clearly been told not to deviate from the party line and he knows he's being set up as the fall guy.

I feel sorry for him.

Although, TheDuchess has a point and makes it well

I have sympathy for him. I don't believe he is the sole person making decisions for the government in regard to the NHS. I believe (I may be wrong) that he signed up for the PPE agreement with the EU and somehow it got changed and then an email mysteriously went missing.

I reckon he will be made one of the scapegoats to ease the way for Boris when he judges it is the right time to come back. For all the people who claim this crisis is not political - it so is and the conservatives are and have always been extremely ruthless.

Also, he can't be the first person who does a job and then realises that they have completely wankers for colleagues or that they aren't cut out for it. I believe he genuinely does care.

But on the other hand, he has done a deal with the devil knowing and he is actively lying to cover up some shit. Also, someone in his position should be competent enough to not need pity.

Compare & contrast Hancock & Sturgeon on BBC Breakfast this am.
He is right to say that Scotland so far only has a framework; but the point is that there is structure around the decision making process.
He was clearly trying & failing to ‘do politics’, while she was confident enough to appear to not be doing that.
I don’t like either of them, but unfortunately the UK government comes across as ‘winging it’ and Ms Sturgeon is keen to avoid that look —as she’s had it many times before—

billysboy thank god the majority of the country didnt vote Labour as this would have been an absoloute shit show by now

I think you'lll find that this is actually a shit show. HTH.

What a sheep you are.

The 'Labour would have been worse argument ' doesn't hold water as they would have only been in power for a few months and would have had the same problems that the govt has now sourcing the equipment and all the rest. They would have cocked it up too no doubt , as the nation was woefully unprepared for a health emergency because the conservatives did not stock enough ppe , but then hindsight is a wonderful thing for everything in life.

I did read that you can't stockpile too much anyway but not sure why? Money was a factor there I guess plus the U.K. has been tearing itself apart about brexit for years. Eye was off the ball about everything else.

The conservatives would have been over the moon to have to not deal with this ; can you imagine the kicking the LP would have got if they hadn't got it right from the start? They would have been ruthless with the criticism.

I think he’s got some kind of mega power trip thing going on.

I have a horrible feeling Bojo is paying very little attention at the mo, while technically still in charge.

He's been at the core of the response from the beginning, presumably exhausted. He had coronavirus, and rapidly returned to work, visibly not completely recuperated.

He is clearly (and by repute) a normal, very decent man with an enormous death toll on his shoulders.

He is also Dyslexic, yet having to give daily pressers and multi-weekly major speeches and press conferences which are played to 10s of millions here, replayed in part to billions abroad and scrutinised to the nth degree.

Jesus, give the guy a break, before he breaks.

They've said many, many, many times that it's hard to source PPE and there's a global shortage with everyone battling to get it.

Yes but they then add something like "but we are getting PPE out to anyone who needs it". Which is obviously a big fat lie because many people were/are not getting it.

Pics

I think we might benefit if he breaks, frankly.

I hope Hancock breaks. Can't see anyone else doing a better job though unfortunately. Not in this government.

Jeez. The man is working incredibly hard under unimaginable stress during the worst time in our country since ww2. Nobody but nobody could excel under those circumstances

Look to NZ and Jacinda Ardern. Her popularity has skyrocketed even with National voters (imagine Labour v Cons) because she absolutely has excelled. Leaders are supposed to excel in these times. That's why they are leaders.

Hancock and Boris are just shite at their jobs.

Yes, let's break Matt Hancock for the greater good. Top plan.

Anyone else remember this? Bountiful harvest, kids.

I like him. He seems genuinely kind. I think the OP's title is unnecessarily rude. The era of not making personal attacks on social media Caroline Flack #bekind didn't last long, did it?

You could say you don't enjoy his public speaking, don't believe him, don't appreciate his efforts, don't like his party etc. But to liken him to an animal is a personal attack - ignorant and rude.

I generally hate politicians but I feel a bit sorry for him really. He probably thought he’d have a stressful but relatively non public role, time to think before he answered anything etc and here he is doing more live news shows and media shenanigans than the PM (or whoever is filling in for him). It’s not really what he ever expected and of course he’s going to struggle- wouldn’t anyone?

The uninformed posters banging on about New Zealand's leader. You do know they have a population of 5 million, don't you? Low population density too. There are 5 million in central London alone.
So many experts on MN who would have done such a better job! They can't even Google a population number.

The size of the population is irrelevant for this discussion. And as an ex Londoner of 30 years in one of those highly populated areas I'm quite aware that of course there's are going to be more cases.

This is about leadership. A good leader is a good leader whether it's a small business or a global company, a small or a large country. It's about inspiring confidence and trust. About appearing to have some kind of control, direction and knowledge. To be seen to be seeking and speaking the truth and caring.

Your men don't seem to capable of any one of those things.

Bagelsandbrie it's nonsense to say he was hoping for a relatively low-key role - as health secretary?! He was desperate to become leader in the summer and then when someone else got it who was completely at odds with his so-called philosophy he decided to chuck that out the window so he could carry on climbing up the greasy pole. He's not kind and he's way out of his depth - but so is the rest of the cabinet and of course Johnson himself - probably most of all. What a bloody mess.

And I don't need to 'Google' the relative population given I live in NZ now and lived in London for 30 years before that.