In a statement on social media, Mr Hancock confirmed the news.
Matt Hancock has resigned as the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, according to Downing Street.
The news comes days after Mr Hancock was found to be having an affair with a senior aide and non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Gina Coladangelo.
In recent weeks, Mr Hancock was accused of “criminal” behaviour and misleading MPs and the public over the safeguards and testing in place for care homes, the ordering and availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), and setting up the NHS test and trace system.
Enormous sacrifices.
The images of the affair, first published by The Sun, showed the Health Secretary breaking social distancing rules while others were separated and isolated from their loved ones.
In a statement published on social media, Mr Hancock said; “I’ve been to see the Prime Minister to resign as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
“I understand the enormous sacrifices everybody in this country has made, that you have made, and those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that is why I have got to resign.
“I want to thank people for their incredible sacrifices and what they have done – everybody working in the NHS, across social care, everyone involved in the vaccine programme, and frankly everybody in this country who has risen to the challenges we have seen over this past 18 months.
“I’m very proud of what we have done to protect the NHS at the peak, to deliver that vaccine roll-out, out of the fastest in the world and I look forward to supporting the Government and Prime Minister from the backbenches to make sure we can get out of this pandemic – we are so close to the end and build back better so this country can fulfil its potential which is so great.
Before finally concluding; “I will do that with all of my heart”.
An apology.
In his letter of resignation to the Prime Minister, Mr Hancock added; “The last thing I would want is for my private life to distract attention from the single-minded focus that is leading us out of this crisis.
“I want to reiterate my apology for breaking the guidance, and apologise to my family and loved ones for putting them through this. I also need (to) be with my children at this time.”
