Banner calling for Matt Hancock to be axed flown over I’m a Celeb camp

The banner was organised by people who lost family members to Covid-19.

A huge banner has been flown over the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! campsite demanding Matt Hancock is axed from the ITV series. The Tory MP has received widespread backlash for deciding to appear on the iconic show and was suspended from his party following the news that he was going into the jungle.

On Tuesday, a plane bearing a 35m banner reading “COVID BEREAVED SAY GET OUT OF HERE!” was flown over the flagship ITV show’s base camp between from 11am to 1pm local.

Pictures posted by campaign groups 38 Degrees and Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice show the small aircraft jetting above the set of the reality programme with the banner.

Matt Hancock recently told his fellow campmates in the jungle that he is "looking for forgiveness" for his actions during the pandemic. The former health secretary was caught out on CCTV kissing his aide at the Department of Health HQ during the pandemic, ending his marriage and costing him his job. He attempted to justify his actions to his fellow campmates by saying he "fell in love." Ever since the news that he would be appearing in the jungle, Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice have voiced their anger at the decision.

Lobby Akinnola from the group, who lost his father to Covid-19, said: "Matt Hancock isn’t a ‘celebrity’, he’s the former health secretary who oversaw the UK having one of the highest death tolls in the world from Covid-19 whilst breaking his own lockdown rules.

"He’s the man we wrote to over a year ago asking him to pass over his private Gmail emails relating to the handling of the pandemic to the new health secretary in readiness for the Covid Inquiry. He’s the man who didn’t even respond to us.

"He's claimed the inquiry will set the record straight, but it can only get to the truth if it has the evidence it needs. He should be at home sending in those emails rather than being rewarded with £400,000 for not doing his job.

"His transparent attempt to sell more books and cleanse his public profile has failed, just like the “protective ring” he dared to suggest he had placed around care homes.”

Matthew McGregor, CEO of 38 Degrees, also said: “No one has forgotten how Matt Hancock conducted himself during the Covid-19 pandemic: not the general public, not his campmates, and certainly not those who lost loved ones.

"Our message emblazoned across the skies makes crystal clear to Matt Hancock:  you should be representing the people of West Suffolk and giving Covid Bereaved Families the answers they deserve, rather than playing games for dingo dollars, plastic stars and a £400,000 paycheck.”

Over 44,725 people have now signed a petition set up by Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice on 38 Degrees’ website calling for ITV to reverse their decision to make him a campmate. This article originally appeared on joe.co.uk READ NEXT: Dogs Trust call for tougher punishments for 'cruel' puppy farmers