Watch: Does Matt Hancock have lawyer he deserves?

Matt Hancock is in trouble, everyone knows it.

In the latest set of leaked WhatsApp exchanges they show Hancock and others discussing how to use an announcement about the variant to scare the public into changing their behaviour as the pandemic spread.

The messages, among 100,000 passed to the Telegraph by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, show cabinet secretary Simon Case suggested in Jan 2021 that the “fear” factor would be “vital”.

Lawyer

So who is backing Matt Hancock, a hot shot lawyer maybe? Well, maybe not.

Jonathan Coad, appeared on GB News and was introduced as someone who was “recently asked to act for Matt Hancock”, which he wasn’t too happy about.

The lawyer said: “I’d like to say, that’s disappointing, because I made it absolutely clear to your programme, I asked them not to disclose that, and that is very, very poor journalism.”

What followed was a heated exchange where Coad repeatedly called for the presenter to “let me finish” as he questioned Oakeshott’s breach of an NDA, when she leaked the messages.

Then after a couple more minuets of arguing, an email correspondence from the legal professional to GB News was read out on air.

“As a courtesy to the lady who approached me to act for MH [Matt Hancock] I would be grateful if it was mentioned that he asked me to act for him (via his assistant),” it stated.

Coad was forced to admit the mistake and offered his “abject apologies”, applause could be heard from GB News’ live studio audience.

Watch

‘You’re absolutely right… I take all of that back.’

Lawyer Jonathan Coad offers his ‘abject apologies’ to Steve N Allen after a fiery discussion where he addressed being asked to act for Matt Hancock.

💻 GB News YouTube: https://t.co/Wa58gYGZwF pic.twitter.com/EhdbvFHeMT

— GB News (@GBNEWS) March 5, 2023

Reactions

1.

guys this bloke has had an absolute NIGHTMARE On GB news wow it really is quite spectacular pic.twitter.com/62VZZT76qO

— Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) March 5, 2023

2.

This was bloody brilliant!!!!! https://t.co/VrMeXdPk7q

— Peter Kang 🇬🇧🇮🇳 (@Petekang10) March 6, 2023

3.

How to trash your professional reputation live on air. https://t.co/mY11zc08SK

— Adrian Hilton (@Adrian_Hilton) March 5, 2023

4.

early contender for Cringe Of The Year https://t.co/nn1s0Lkcgw

— Katie Martin (@katie_martin_fx) March 6, 2023

5.

This is glorious. Keep watching to the very end. It's worth it https://t.co/pwqulKSZWd

— Stephen Pollard (@stephenpollard) March 6, 2023

Yep?

Cringe. Matt H has the lawyer he deserves.

— 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓮 (@charlotteukcity) March 5, 2023

Related: WhatsApp leak: Now Hancock’s Covid ‘claims’ revisited in viral video