Haverhill: Matt Hancock's constituents call for resignation

Haverhill town councillors from across the political spectrum, including a majority of Conservative councillors, have called on West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock to resign his post immediately.

Mr Hancock was suspended as a Tory MP after he was revealed as a surprise extra name for the TV show, but defended his decision saying he would use the appearance to promote his work on dyslexia.

In a letter sent from the town clerk Colin Poole, the councillors said that his constituency needs "all hands on deck", citing cost of living pressures, a failing local health service and the energy crisis.

They said that while Mr Hancock has made it clear that his future lies "outside of politics", he must step aside to "clear the pitch for someone who wants to serve the people of West Suffolk".

The letter in full reads: "By a majority vote, the Members of Haverhill Town Council have directed me to express their displeasure at your decision to absent yourself from your duty to your constituents, to join the cast of ITV's I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

"At a time when unprecedented cost-of-living pressures on your residents are causing real hardship to them, and we have a failing health service locally with appalling ambulance response times, the energy crisis causing schools and other public services severe issues in maintaining services, my Members believe we need all hands on deck to fight our corner.

"Currently there is nobody to speak for West Suffolk in the House of Commons and your actions are unlikely to gain any sympathy for West Suffolk when all the other parliamentarians are in the chamber fighting their own corners.

"By your own actions you have made it clear to everyone that you see your future outside of politics.

"My Members ask that you do the honourable thing and resign your seat, so you can follow your chosen path and clear the pitch for someone who wants to serve the people of West Suffolk."