Hancock accused of witholding funding from MPs to force them to vote for lockdown

The then-heath secretary was this week branded an “absolute disgrace” after messages appeared to show him considering holding back funding for a learning disability centre to pressure James Daly, the Tory MP for Bury South, into voting with the Government.

Messages published by the Daily Telegraph show Mr Hancock speaking to an aide about warning the MP that a new centre for disabled children and adults would be “off the table” if he voted against the Government, according to leaked WhatsApp messages.

Sir Jake Berry, the former Tory chairman, described the disclosure as an “absolute disgrace” and called for Mr Hancock to be hauled before the Commons for questioning.

Sir Jake, whose son has disabilities, said: “Once you get to the point that you are weaponising the provision of care to disabled children, I think you have crossed the line.”

“Hancock should be dragged to the bar of the House of Commons first thing tomorrow morning to be questioned on this,” he tweeted.

Mr Hancock’s team said “what’s being accused here never happened” as they disputed the “entirely partial account” based on a trove of his WhatsApp messages handed to the Daily Telegraph.

The newspaper said the discussion between Mr Hancock and political aide Allan Nixon came ahead of a vote on December 1 2020 on the introduction of new Covid-19 restrictions in England.

Mr Nixon said they needed to “dangle our top asks” over some of the newest MPs who entered Parliament in 2019 through Boris Johnson’s general election victory.

Mr Daly, a Conservative MP, told the paper he was “appalled” and “disgusted” that the disability hub was discussed as a way to coerce him into voting with ministers, but added that the threat was never made to him.

Mr Hancock’s spokesman said: “What’s being accused here never happened, demonstrating the story is wrong, and showing why such a biased, partial approach to the evidence is a bad mistake, driven by those with a vested interest and an axe to grind.

Downing Street said Rishi Sunak wants the official coronavirus inquiry to look at all the relevant issues rather than relying on “piecemeal” information.