Boris Johnson declines three times to say if he sacked Matt Hancock

Boris Johnson three times refused to say whether he sacked Matt Hancock after CCTV footage emerged of the former health secretary embracing his aide in his Whitehall office and flouting Covid rules.

The prime minister was pressed on the issue at the Commons Liaison Committee after No 10 originally declared the matter “closed” 24 hours before Mr Hancock resigned.

Mr Johnson referred back to his previous comments, saying: “We all read about the story concerning Mr Hancock and the CCTV and so forth on I think the Friday, and we had a new health secretary on the Saturday … I think that was quite fast-going.”