MPs could reportedly be blocked from making appearances on reality shows following Matt Hancock’s stint on I’m A Celebrity.
The Daily Mirror reports that an Early Day Motion, known as the “Bushtucker Bill”, has been tabled and calls for Westminster’s rules to be updated to prevent MPs from taking part in programmes for weeks at a time while Parliament is sitting.
Hancock sparked fury among many, including the Prime Minister and Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, when he appeared on ITV’s reality show.
Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine, who tabled the motion, said: “This Bushtucker Bill is designed to stop MPs following in Matt Hancock’s shameful footsteps to the jungle.”
The LibDem accused him of “deserting his constituents for the sake of his ego”. “In any other job he’d have been sacked for going AWOL”.
As a result of his actions, the former health secretary was suspended from the Conservative Party.
The motion published today said: “This house believes that there should be a change to the house’s code of conduct to set a limit to the number of days members can spend being paid to take part in the recording of entertainment television programmes abroad while the house is sitting.”
Tory MPs have until Monday to decide whether to seek re-election. Unless Hancock has the whip restored by then, the Conservatives could be forced to choose a new candidate for the seat, which he won with a majority of over 23,000 in December 2019.
His spokesman has said he “has no intention of standing down or stepping away from politics”.
Jardine added: “Matt Hancock spent days crawling through snakes instead of trawling through casework.
“He won food for campmates while his constituents wondered how they will feed their families this winter.
“People facing soaring bills deserve MPs who listen to their concerns and stand up for them, not use their position to appear in reality TV shows.”
Hancock’s spokesman said: “Matt’s excellent team continues to deal with constituency matters, as they already do while he’s in Westminster.”
