Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips today told a Cabinet minister defending Matt Hancock ‘where to get off’ after describing how hundreds of loved ones were prevented from attending his daughter’s funeral while the Health Secretary broke lockdown with his mistress.
The anti-racism campaigner told Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis how he buried freelance journalist Sushila Phillips, 36, on May 11 – just five days after cheating Mr Hancock kissed aide Gina Coladangelo in his ministerial office, in images obtained by the Sun newspaper.
Mr Phillips, who chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said 300 friends and family were forced to watch the funeral online because they were banned from the graveside ‘even though it was in the open air, because of the rule of 30, because of the instruction by Mr Hancock’.
A visibly uncomfortable Mr Lewis listened as the Sky News broadcaster then asked: ‘Now the next time one of you tells me what to do in my private life, explain to me why I shouldn’t just tell you where to get off?’
Sushila died ‘peacefully in her own bed’ after a 22-year battle with anorexia, her family announced on Facebook in April. They called her ‘one of the wisest, kindest, strongest and funniest people’ and ‘a force and the most beautiful soul’.
Pointing out the Government’s double standard, Mr Phillips said: ‘I want to put a private – personal question I guess, in a way – to you. Over the past two days every Cabinet minster including you has come out to essentially defend the Prime Minister and Matt Hancock.
