Matt Hancock assaulted and called a 'murdering scumbag' as he's targeted by anti-vaxxer on the Tube

25 January 2023, 17:30 | Updated: 26 January 2023, 12:06

A man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting Matt Hancock on the Tube.

The politician was approached at Westminster station in footage circulating online.

He was called a ‘murderer’ in front of commuters on a packed train.

British Transport Police said in a statement: "We received a report of a man being assaulted and harassed at Westminster Underground station at 8.47am yesterday morning (January 24).

"A 61-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of common assault and a public order offence and remains in custody. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing."

Mr Hancock's spokesman said: "Both Transport for London staff and the British Transport Police were fantastic.

He added "this sort of behaviour is a rare occurrence" and stressed the "importance of shutting down baseless misinformation which causes so much harm".

"Matt wants to put on record his thanks to TfL and the British Transport Police for their extraordinary work."

Video circulating online showed a transport worker supporting the MP throughout much of the incident.

Mr Hancock, 44, was health secretary when the coronavirus pandemic struck and was a key figure in the lockdown restrictions and vaccine rollout that followed.

He resigned after leaked CCTV image showed him kissing an adviser in his office, in breach of his own social distancing guidance.

Mr Hancock angered colleagues and constituents by jetting to the Australian jungle to appear on the reality show but won some sympathy from TV voters to come third.

Having been stripped of the Conservative whip over the appearance, he said he would not contest his seat at the next election when he will step down.