Challenging Hancock

I do hope some of our broadcast outlets can take up the Sunday Times story of Gina Coladangelo. Her Linkedin page is clear: since September she has been a non-executive director of the Department of Health and Social Care.  Her full-time job is as Marketing and Comms director for her husband's [Oliver Tress] 'lifestyle store', Oliver Bonas. 

The Time says the non-executive job follows a six month contract as an unpaid adviser to Mr Hancock, during which she acquired a Westminster pass, and was regularly seen accompanying the Health Secretary to broadcast interviews. 

Government guidelines on non-execs sitting on departmental boards say "These are recruited through
fair and transparent competition. Boards provide the strategic leadership of the Department, and advice and challenge on performance and delivery."

Mrs Coladangelo's appointment is not listed on the DHSC website. 

In the Tory leadership election of 2019, Hancock took advice from Gina Coladangelo, then also a director at Luther Pendragon, on branding and broadcast appearances. He withdrew from the contest after securing just 20 votes in the first round.